PRIME MINISTER

Spain

Richard Spring: To ask the Prime Minister whether the (a) Convention on the Future of Europe and (b) Gibraltar were discussed at his meeting with the Spanish Prime Minister on 27 February; what the outcome of the discussions was; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: holding answer 6 March 2003
	My talks with the Spanish Prime Minister on 27–28 February covered a wide range of issues, foremost of which was Iraq. We discussed the Convention on the Future of Europe, and issued a joint statement on the future institutional framework of the European Union. Gibraltar was also discussed briefly. Copies of the statements agreed at the summit have been placed in the Library of the House. The full texts are also available on the website of the British Embassy in Madrid, www.ukinspain.com.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Air and Seaports Police

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions his Department has had with the Home Secretary's Department with a view to creating a combined air and seaports police for the whole of the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Murphy: Whilst security is kept under continual review, especially so following the terrorist attacks in the United States on 11 September 2001, there have been no discussions between the Home Office and the Northern Ireland Office to create a combined air and seaports police for the UK.
	However, on 19 December last year, and following a Governments led review of aviation security, the Secretary of State for the Department for Transport did announce the development of a capability to place covert, specially trained armed police officers aboard UK civil aircraft.

Air and Seaports Police

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions have been held with the Belfast Harbour Police about extending their jurisdiction to include providing an armed police presence at Belfast City Airport.

Paul Murphy: The need for an armed police presence at Belfast City Airport was identified as part of the continual review of security measures at the Airport. As the airport is located within the wider Belfast Harbour estate, it is right and proper that the Belfast Harbour Police should be included in consultations on how to meet the required level of service. These discussions are currently being taken forward by the airport authorities.

Air and Seaports Police

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about security at Belfast City Airport; and when he intends that uniformed armed police will be introduced.

Paul Murphy: Security at Belfast City Airport is kept under continual review. The need for an armed police presence was identified as part of this on-going process. This measure should be in place in the very near future.

Broadband Telecommunications

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when broadband telecommunications access will be made available throughout Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: Telecommunications provision is a matter for the private sector. The Government's role is to work with the private sector to encourage the provision of broadband services across Northern Ireland.
	To this end the government, through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, is involved in a range of activities including: technology trials and pilot action work under the UK Broadband Fund; a satellite programme in non-ADSL enabled areas; and a flagship call to stimulate broadband applications, content and services.
	In addition, the Government is conducting a feasibility study into broadband aggregation in preparing a telecommunications strategy for the region, taking powers to enable it to provide supportive funding; and working on a Local Access Call which is consistent with EU State Aid Requirements. It is also working with the relevant RoI authorities on the preparation of a Call for cross-border telecommunications infrastructure projects with funding from the third EU Integrated Regional Development Programme (Interreg III).

West Belfast Task Force

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in implementing the report of the West Belfast Task Force.

Ian Pearson: The report of the West Belfast and Greater Shankill Task Forces contained a wide range of recommendations relevant to the work of most Northern Ireland Departments. The Executive provided an initial response in June 2002.
	An updated Government response document, detailing progress and planned actions, was provided to the two Task Forces in December and I met and discussed it with them on 23 January. There is regular contact between Departments and the Task Forces liaison group and I plan to meet local representatives again soon to ensure that this momentum is maintained.

TRANSPORT

Railway Standards and Safety Board

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to which organisations the proposed Railway Standards and Safety Board will report.

David Jamieson: The Office of the Rail Regulator has proposed that the Rail Safety and Standards Board will follow the company limited by guarantee model used for Network Rail and as such will be accountable to its membership drawn from the rail industry.

Crossrail

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the completion date for (a) Crossrail 1 and (b) Crossrail 2; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Completion dates for Crossrail 1 and 2 would depend on decisions yet to be taken on whether, and if so how, either project should be taken forward.

Airports (South-East)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he estimates the demand forecast in the February 2003 South East and East of England Regional Air Services document for Packages 20 and 21 in Annex D would be affected by Packages 6 and 9 in Annex D on the basis of availability of capacity in (a) 2011 and (b) 2024; and how Packages 6 and 9 would affect the Internal Rate of Return and Net Present Value of Packages 20 and 21.

David Jamieson: Although not specifically modelled, the impact of one or two additional Gatwick runways (package 6 or package 9) on package 21 (four new runways at Cliffe) would be to lower the economic benefits and financial internal rate of return from investing at Cliffe. Delaying the opening of a new Gatwick runway in package 20 (two runways at Cliffe in 2011 plus a narrow-spaced runway at Gatwick) from 2021 to 2024 reduces the present value of net economic benefits from that package by £180 million; there may also be a small impact on financial returns.

Chancery Lane Accident

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what indications he has received that the Automatic Train Operation System was a contributory factor in the recent Chancery Lane accident on the London Underground; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of Wednesday 5 March 2003.

Low-cost Airlines

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 11 February, Official Report, columns 625–26W, on low-cost airlines, if he will establish rules to provide for compensation for consequential loss to air passengers whose flights are cancelled more than two weeks before departure.

David Jamieson: Passengers suffering losses as a result of the cancellation of their flight may, if the flight was not part of an ATOL bonded package, seek redress via the courts. Determination of the extent of an airline's liability towards its passengers depends very much on the circumstances of each case, making the establishment of rules on compensation for consequential loss very difficult. The Government therefore does not intend to establish rules but to rely on existing judicial procedures for the settlement of claims.

Invalid Carriages

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from suppliers of (a) invalid carriages, (b) electric scooters and (c) power chairs regarding the road safety implications of their use; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: I have not received any representations from suppliers of powered wheelchairs or powered scooters (both of which are described in law as ''invalid carriages'') about their road safety implications.
	I will, however, shortly be launching a comprehensive review of the construction and use requirements of these vehicles and suppliers will be among those whose views we will be seeking.

CABINET OFFICE

Smoking

Chris Grayling: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what policy his Department has adopted on smoking in the workplace.

Douglas Alexander: The Cabinet Office has a no smoking policy throughout the Department. Smoking is permitted in designated areas only.

Departmental Staff (Industrial Action)

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many working days were lost owing to industrial action by staff in (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in 2002.

Douglas Alexander: None.

Resilience Strategy

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent developments there have been in developing a UK resilience strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary made on civil contingencies on Monday March 3, Official Report, column 7WS. This statement set out improvements in contingency planning that have taken place and announces the next steps in improving our resilience.

Award Schemes

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the award schemes in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 promoted by the Department; what their scope was; when the relevant participating organisations are scheduled to be sent results; and whether other parties will be given notification of the results at the same time.

Douglas Alexander: The Cabinet Office promoted the following award schemes in both 2001 and 2002:
	Charter Mark
	Charter Mark promotes excellent customer service within the public sector. Applicants are required to demonstrate that they have met a demanding standard.
	All 2001 applicants have been notified of the outcome as have most 2002 applicants. Some organisations have been allowed additional time because of changes to the scheme that necessitate a suspension of the assessment process in 2003. The final judging panel for Charter Mark 2002 meets on 19 March 2003.
	Organisations are advised of the outcome of their application by letter, within two weeks of the judging panel meeting. hon. Members are then advised of any winners in their constituency.
	Central Government Beacon Scheme
	The Central Government Beacon Scheme helped share good practice across central government organisations. Beacons hosted study visits and other events. 2002 was the final year of this scheme.
	All winners were notified immediately after a final judging panel. The results were published in a directory.
	Public Servant of the Year Awards
	The Public Servant of the Year Awards, organised by the Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy, recognise and celebrate individual's contributions to public service, promoting the exchange of ideas and good practice.
	Winners for both 2001 and 2002 were announced at a public awards ceremony.
	TNT Modernising Government Partnership Awards
	The TNT Modernising Government Partnership Awards, organised by TNT UK Ltd, celebrated and encouraged successful partnership working across public services. 2002 was the final year of this scheme.
	Winners for both 2001 and 2002 were announced at a public awards ceremony.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Global Fund

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the Global Fund directors on the funding available for the third round of grants in October 2003; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: My Department is in regular contact with the Global Fund.
	The primary role of the fund is to provide drugs and commodities for the prevention and treatment of AIDS, TB and Malaria. The UK is firmly committed to fighting these three diseases. We have pledged $200m over 5 years to the Fund, $80m of which has been disbursed. In addition we have committed over £1.5 billion since 1997 to support the development of health systems in poorer countries. Strengthening such systems is vital if the drugs and commodities made available through the fund are to be safely and sustainably supplied to the poor.
	Wherever possible the Global Fund should be providing support behind strategies that help deliver sustainable improvements in healthcare. The fund has strong founding principles in this regard but performance to date in this regard has been disappointing.
	Our future support for the fund will depend on its effectiveness. It is one of several possible instruments designed to improve basic health care in poor countries.

Afghanistan

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which major construction projects are under way in Afghanistan with the support of the international community; and when they will be completed.

Clare Short: holding answer 5 March 2003
	There are hundreds of infrastructure projects that are currently underway in Afghanistan. Full details are held on the Afghanistan Transitional Administration's website: www. afghanistangov.org.
	In the construction sector the main Kabul-Mazar—Herat-Kandahar refurbishment is due to start this summer and is expected to take between four and six years to complete. Provincial road-repair projects are also underway. Kabul and Balkh airport runways are being refurbished.
	A German-funded nationwide rehabilitation of energy infrastructure has been completed. Other energy infrastructure projects are underway.
	The World Bank's Emergency Infrastructure project is providing water and sanitation infrastructure to Kabul, Herat, Kandahar, Mazar-I-Sharif and other secondary cities. A nationwide well construction scheme for rural communities is underway.
	Bridge, school and hospital rehabilitation and construction are all under way both in the provinces and Kabul, as is the construction of a nationwide network of Women's centres in 15 provinces. The construction of health clinics in provincial areas has begun.

Iraq

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the impact which military attacks on electricity stations would have on the humanitarian situation in Iraq;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the impact which military attacks on (a) roads, (b) railways, (c) bridges and (d) sea ports would have on the delivery of humanitarian relief to Iraq.

Clare Short: The people of Iraq are already in a fragile humanitarian situation. After years of misrule they are highly dependent on aid under the UN Oil For Food programme, which relies on an efficient distribution network and transport infrastructure. Many are also reliant on electrically pumped water and sanitation systems, especially those in urban areas. In the event of military action, the greater the damage and the longer the disruption to such infrastructure, the greater will be the humanitarian consequences. My Department has been holding close discussions with the Ministry of Defence and US Government about planning to minimise the humanitarian impact of any military action in Iraq. Following any such action, a key priority would then be to repair any critical infrastructure which has been damaged as quickly as possible.

Burundi

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken to avoid food shortages in Burundi.

Clare Short: Early warning systems set up by the Food and Agricultural Organisation and operated in collaboration with the Government of Burundi, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF have predicted low output from the September to October 2002 agricultural season. The effect of this low availability of food will be compounded by epidemic disease and by further disruption caused by continued conflict in some areas. Access to the worst-affected areas is limited by insecurity. WFP are planning to distribute food relief. DFID stands ready to support relief agencies that are willing and able to assist those in greatest need.

Burundi

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the levels of malaria in Burundi.

Clare Short: Burundi ranks near the bottom of the international league tables in terms of life expectancy. This is due in large measure to the burden of disease, inadequate nutrition, and poor services. Malaria is one of the major causes of death.
	In January the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) quoted the Burundi Department of Epidemiology and Statistics as reporting an increased number of malaria cases for the period October to November 2002 in five provinces. The data are consistent with the occurrence of an epidemic.
	Recently after efforts by NGOs the Government of Burundi has agreed to recommend a new drug for treatment as resistance had developed against existing drugs. The new drug is not, however, currently available in sufficient quantities. DFID remains ready to support relief agencies that are able to intervene on behalf of those most affected.

Malawi

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the Government of Malawi regarding it's decision to sell 50,000 tonnes of stored maize; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: The Malawi Government has imported approximately 250,000 tonnes of the national staple grain, maize, for sale to the public with a 50 per cent. subsidy. Substantial imports by private traders from surplus areas in Southern Tanzania and Northern Mozambique are making available maize at prices even lower than the Government subsidised price. High levels of maize in the national grain reserves could seriously jeopardise the maize market following the expected harvest commencing in April.
	My Department's officials in Lilongwe have met with the Government of Malawi, other donors and civil society organisations, and have endorsed the decision to reduce maize stocks. This will limit potential market distortion and reduce the heavy fiscal burden associated with the initial purchases of maize and the subsidy. Maize is being offered at the subsidised price to NGOs for their humanitarian programmes and 50,000 tonnes has been offered to private traders for local sales, to supplement their own imports. The Government of Malawi will increase their Strategic Grain Reserve from 60,000 to 100,000 tonnes. Donor-supported humanitarian programmes continue to provide free grain to more than 25 per cent. of the population.

Malawi

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the projected levels of food production in Malawi.

Clare Short: The crop estimates issued by the Malawi Ministry of Agriculture at the end of January 2003 suggest a national maize crop of 2.05 million tonnes if the present good rains continue. The harvest will begin in April. Together with additional food from other crops, national self-sufficiency may be achieved this year. Substantial maize stocks in the strategic grain reserve and continuing humanitarian feeding programmes will mitigate localised areas of deficit.

Burkina Faso

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance her Department has given to the Government of Burkina Faso since the outbreak of meningitis.

Clare Short: We contribute to the World Health Organisation (WHO), which is working with national governments to tackle meningitis and other epidemics. In response to the latest meningitis outbreak WHO has provided 500,000 doses of vaccine to Burkina Faso with a further 1 million doses ready to be shipped. Our general assistance to Burkina Faso is provided through multilateral agencies, in particular the EU. Our share of the substantial EU programme is just over £5 million.

TREASURY

Cigarette Smuggling

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Customs and Excise officers are dedicated to tackling cigarette smuggling; and how many are based at each port of entry.

John Healey: For the number of law enforcement staff within Customs and Excise I refer the hon. Member to the answer the then Financial Secretary to the Treasury gave my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh North and Leith (Mr. Lazarowicz) on 10 April 2002, Official Report, columns 246W–47W.
	Customs' law enforcement staff are deployed on the basis of risk assessment and intelligence, and regularly move between ports of entry and inland locations. No details can be given of the number of officers deployed in individual locations at particular times; Exemption 4 (Law enforcement and legal proceedings) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information applies.

DEFENCE

Service Personnel (Vaccination)

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the vaccines given to troops preparing to go to the Gulf, stating in each case (a) whether they have been approved by the Medicines Control Agency and (b) whether they are administered voluntarily or compulsorily; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish details of the current precautionary inoculation programme for troops likely to serve in the Gulf.

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the course of inoculations that are being given to HM Forces personnel being deployed for possible operations against Iraq; and which drugs are administered and over what period of time.

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what vaccines are being administered to UK troops deploying to the Gulf in addition to anthrax vaccine.

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what inoculations are being offered to members of the British armed forces for the purposes of health protection prior to potential conflict in the Gulf.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer January 2003
	All vaccines offered to Service personnel are administered on a voluntary basis. The standard Service public health vaccinations or boosters listed below, all of which are licensed by the Medicines Control Agency, are offered to personnel deploying to the Gulf region if they are not already up-to-date with these vaccinations:
	Hepatitis A/Typhoid
	Meningococcal Meningitis C
	Poliomyelitis
	Tetanus/Diphtheria
	Tuberculosis
	Yellow Fever
	Rubella (Female/healthcare personnel only)
	In addition, all troops deploying on operations to the Gulf are being offered immunisation against anthrax. Immunisation against Hepatitis B is offered to certain groups at special occupational risk if they are not already up-to-date with this vaccination. Immunisation against Rabies is also offered to personnel deploying to the Gulf region who work with animals. These vaccinations are also licensed by the Medicines Control Agency.
	Vaccination against smallpox is being offered to a cohort of specialist NBC personnel and certain medical personnel, some of whom are deploying to the Gulf region. The smallpox vaccine is not currently licensed, but has been tested for potency and is being used on the basis of expert medical advice.
	All Service personnel deploying to the Gulf region are also being provided with antimalarial tablets which should be started a week before deployment, and continue until 28 days after leaving a malarial area.

Biological and Chemical Weapons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the relative success rates using (a) in-vitro non-animal techniques and (b) animal experiments to develop antidotes to biological and chemical weapons in the last five years.

Lewis Moonie: The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) at Porton Down has the remit to provide the United Kingdom and its Armed Forces with safe and effective protection in the event of Chemical or Biological weapons being used against them. Wherever possible, scientists at Dstl Porton Down are developing in-vitro models to replace and reduce the numbers of animals involved. However, to undertake this research effectively necessitates some research involving the use of animals.
	It is not possible to determine the relative success rates of the use of in-vitro techniques and animal experiments. However, both elements make an invaluable contribution to the medical countermeasures programme.
	In-vitro non-animal techniques are routinely used to screen candidate therapeutic drugs and treatments. These include the use of donated human skin to screen prospective barrier cream formulations, and the use of cell and tissue cultures to evaluate new antibiotics and improved anti-convulsant drugs.
	Over the last five years the research programme at Dstl Porton Down to develop new generation vaccines for plague and anthrax has continued to progress well: the candidate plague vaccine is already in clinical trials; and the candidate anthrax vaccine is expected to enter clinical trials later this year. Additionally, the results of several years' research has lead to the proposal for a new nerve agent pre-treatment and a change in one of the drugs contained in the triple therapy Combopen. These drugs are currently undergoing studies to satisfy the regulatory and licensing requirements. The Ministry of Defence is committed to these improvements in the provision of treatment for nerve agent poisoning as they offer not only an enhancement in survivability but also a significant decrease in incapacitation following poisoning by nerve agents.

Depleted Uranium

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies have been undertaken of the effects of the use of depleted uranium during the Gulf War of 1991 on (a) coalition forces, (b) Iraqi forces and (c) Iraqi civilians.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 3 March 2003
	Many independent reports have been produced that consider the battlefield effects of using depleted uranium (DU) munitions, but none has found widespread DU contamination sufficient to impact the health of the general population or deployed personnel. These include work by the US RAND Corporation, the US Institute of Medicine, the Royal Society, the European Commission, the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). The two Royal Society reports on ''The Health Hazards of Depleted Uranium Munitions'' (2001, 2002) support the Ministry of Defence's view that risks to the health of soldiers on the battlefield are minimal except for a small number of extreme cases.
	Under the auspices of the independent Depleted Uranium Oversight Board, a test for DU in urine is currently being developed and we aim to make it available to all those who wish to be tested later this year. In parallel with this, we will also carry out an epidemiological study which will examine the link between exposure to DU and health.
	No UK troops who served in the Gulf experienced the highest level of DU. However, thirty-three US soldiers were highly exposed when their vehicles were accidentally hit by DU rounds. Consequently, seventeen of them have retained embedded DU shrapnel for the last twelve years. The health of this group is closely monitored by the US Government and so far they do not show signs of health problems attributable to DU.
	At the end of August 2001, the World Health Organisation (WHO) despatched a technical team to Baghdad to establish specific projects to explore areas of health concern in Iraq. These discussions, carried out in an atmosphere of full collaboration and co-operation with the Iraqis, culminated in four project proposals covering health surveillance of cancers, health surveillance of congenital malformations and renal diseases, studies to explore health effects of environmental risk factors (including DU) and an implementation plan for cancer control. The WHO sent details of the proposals to the Iraq Ministry of Health in the last quarter of 2001, but a response is still awaited.
	Meanwhile, WHO has contracted the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm to complete the first phase of extensive epidemiological studies to investigate environmental factors that may lead to increased incidences of various cancers. The first meeting to schedule and detail the studies has been called for mid-March. The Iraqis will participate in the studies, in full collaboration with these institutes.

X-Bank Radar

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what research his Department will undertake into the radiation effects of an X-bank radar on UK soil;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the US on the siting of (a) an X-bank radar and (b) interceptor missiles in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The Ministry of Defence keeps in touch with the United States Administration on possible future developments in missile defence. The United States has undertaken to extend missile defence coverage and make missile defence capabilities available to the United Kingdom, subject to technological developments and our willingness to participate in such a system. This would involve the siting of interceptors in Europe. Decisions on whether the UK should seek to acquire missile defences, and the location and provision of interceptors, are for the future, in the light of the prevailing security circumstances at the time. We have no reason to expect a request to site a missile defence X-band radar in the United Kingdom. The Ministry of Defence does not therefore intend to undertake or commission any research into radiation effects.

Reserves Forces

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Reserve Forces served with a call up notice have applied to the Hardship Fund; what percentage of Reserve Forces served with a call up notice this represents; how many applications to the fund have been approved; how many have been denied; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 5 March 2003
	Only members of the Reserve Forces who have been accepted into permanent service may apply for Reservist Standard Award (RSA) and Reservist Hardship Award (RHA). As at 4 March, 4, 111 Reservists had been accepted into Service. As at that date the Ministry of Defence had received 638 applications for RHA, representing 16 per cent. of those accepted for service. Of those applications received, 571 had been awarded; 13 had been refused; and 54 were under consideration.

Service Deaths (Property Return)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what rules govern the return of personal property, items and effects to the families of military personnel who die or lose their lives while on service at home or overseas; what items must be retained or held in order to send elsewhere; in what circumstances and at what rank discretion may be exercised over the return of property; what rules govern disclosure of information concerning withheld items; what remedy is available to families denied property; and what steps he will take to ensure that bereaved families are made aware of their rights.

Lewis Moonie: I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Ministry of Defence Police

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the backlog is of refresher training for constables and sergeants in the Ministry of Defence Police; and what the equivalent figures were in each of the last five years.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence Police Agency does not keep data for the backlog in training in previous years. Until 11 September 2001 all essential training identified in the staff reporting system was conducted. Since then a backlog for some refresher training modules has built up. This is mainly due to officers not being available to undertake the training because of increased duty requirements, and a difficulty in back-filling essential posts for training because of restrictions on overtime working.
	Currently 78 per cent. of the Force is qualified in Personal Safety Training which is approximately 7 per cent. short of the requirement. The force target for Firearms qualified personnel is 87 per cent., whilst currently the percentage of officers qualified is 88.9 per cent..

Territorial Army

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Territorial Army reservists have (a) died and (b) been injured while on service in each of the last 10 years.

Lewis Moonie: Although work is in progress to establish a comprehensive database of deaths, the following figures come from a manual trawl of information held in the Casualty and Compassionate Cell. The figures include six Service personnel whose documentation indicates that they were serving as TA Non-Regular Permanent Staff at the time of their death. It is not possible to provide figures for injuries since this information is not recorded centrally.
	
		
			 Year No. of TA & TA NRPS personnel deaths 
		
		
			 1992 6 
			 1993 2 
			 1994 1 
			 1995 1 
			 1996 5 
			 1997 1 
			 1998 1 
			 1999 7 
			 2000 6 
			 2001 3 
			  
			 Total 33

Mr. David Johnson

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's treatment of Mr. David Johnson, a constituent, relating to his compulsory retirement.

Lewis Moonie: Mr. David Johnson is being retired at the normal retirement age for his grade in the Ministry of Defence, which is 60. I will write to the hon. Member about this case and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

National Lottery Grants

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the amount per head in National Lottery grants was in each (a) constituency and (b) county in the UK, in the last year for which figures are available.

Richard Caborn: I will write to the hon. Member as soon as the information is available, placing copies of my letter in the Libraries of both Houses.

Paralympics

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the International Paralympic Committee's decision to ban events for athletes with an ''intellectual disability'' at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens.

Richard Caborn: During the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney several athletes who were subsequently found not to have met the eligibility criteria competed in events for intellectually disabled athletes. As a result the International Sports Federation for Persons with Intellectual Disability (INAS-FID) had its membership of the International Paralympic Association (IPC) suspended and athletes with an intellectual disability were not able to compete in IPC events. Membership has since been reinstated. However, athletes with an intellectual disability will remain banned from IPC competitions until such time that the IPC are satisfied with the procedures regarding the eligibility of athletes with an intellectual disability.
	In October 2002 the IPC decided on the programme of events for the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens in order to meet deadlines for the organisation of the Games. The INAS-FID were given additional time to continue with the development of a new eligibility system. The IPC recognised that some progress had been made by INAS-FID on a more stringent verification procedure, but other areas such as the development and implementation of protest procedures were still not in line with IPC policy. The IPC felt that these events could not go ahead in a fair manner at the 2004 Paralympics and that there was a risk of ineligible athletes competing. As a result, a final decision was made on 1 February 2003 that events for intellectually disabled athletes would not be included in the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games.
	The IPC has stated that they will continue to support the INAS-FID in its efforts to develop a system that does meet the conditions required by the IPC. Once an acceptable system is achieved the IPC will look at allowing athletes with an intellectual disability to participate in IPC events.

National Lottery (Scotland)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and what plans she has to devolve the distributor arrangement for the operation of the National Lottery in Scotland.

Richard Caborn: The Scottish Executive already issue directions in relation to the distribution of Lottery money to their Arts and Sports Councils as provided by the 1998 Scotland Act.
	In February, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met Elaine Murray, Deputy Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport in the Scottish Executive, to discuss the ongoing Lottery Review, and to consider how best to ensure that the distribution of Lottery money in Scotland meets Scottish needs and priorities.
	My department intends to announce proposals in early Summer.

European Capital of Culture

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what she estimates to be the cost to public funds of the process for identifying a candidate city to be European Capital of culture in 2008.

Richard Caborn: The competition to select the UK nomination for European Capital of Culture 2008 attracted twelve high-quality bids from cities across the UK. As part of the assessment process, the independent advisory panel met on several occasions and panel members visited all twelve cities, before recommending a shortlist. The panel is now considering the shortlisted bids in more detail. Panel members will visit the shortlisted cities and hold further meetings before deciding on their final recommendation to Ministers. Consultants have been engaged to support and advise the panel and the Department throughout the process.
	The competition process is estimated to have cost £125,000 up to 28 February 2003. This figure covers the costs of consultancy advice, meetings of the advisory panel, and panel members' visits to the competing cities. It does not include staff costs.
	It is not yet possible to be certain about the remaining costs of the process up to the final announcement of the UK nomination in June. However, we currently estimate that the overall total cost will be around £200,000 excluding staff costs.

European Capital of Culture

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the recommendations of the independent advisory panel on which city should go forward as the UK nomination for European Capital of culture in 2008 will be published.

Richard Caborn: We expect to announce the final choice of city to go forward as the UK nomination for European Capital of Culture 2008 in early June. Each of the shortlisted cities will be given feedback and a report on the competition, including the panel's final recommendation, will be published.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will put a copy of the Annan 3, proposals for a Cyprus Summit in the Library. [R]

Denis MacShane: holding answer 6 March 2003
	We have received a copy of the UN proposals for a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement in Cyprus, in our capacity as Guarantor Power. However, we continue to abide by the UN Secretary-General's request for confidentiality while the settlement process is ongoing. As soon as the UN Secretary-General makes his proposals public, we will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library.

Economic Reform

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment the Government has made of whether the EU is on course to meet the Lisbon target of making the EU the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion by 2010; what method of assessment is being employed; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what evaluation the Government has made of the state of the Lisbon process; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what assessment the Government has made of enlargement's effect on the Lisbon strategic goal of making the EU the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion by 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: On 17 February 2003 HM Treasury published a detailed report entitled Meeting the Challenge: Economic reform in Europe. This report updates last year's White Paper Realising Europe's potential, evaluates progress on economic reform and identifies priorities for action in the short and medium term. It also considers the Lisbon process in the light of enlargement. The report finds that there has been clear progress towards the Lisbon goal in a number of areas. Nevertheless, there remains a great deal to be done. Copies of the Treasury report have been placed in the libraries of the House.

Convention on the Future of Europe

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the Government's welcome for the Franco-German contribution to the debate on Europe's future.

Denis MacShane: The Government welcomes the Franco-German contribution to the debate on Europe's future. Strong French and German engagement is essential to take the debate on the future of the EU forward towards a more democratic, accountable and effective European Union. The paper is good for the UK. It contains important proposals which the UK has advocated, such as a full-time Chair of the European Council. The UK will continue to engage with confidence in the debate on the Future of Europe.

Convention on the Future of Europe

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the status accession countries due to join the EU in 2004 should have at the Inter Governmental Conference convened to agree any draft emerging from the Convention on the Future of Europe; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: We warmly welcomed confirmation in the Copenhagen European Council conclusions that the new Member States will participate fully in the work of the next IGC.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Council Tax

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment his Department has made of the effect on England of having different council tax bands in Scotland, England and Wales.

Christopher Leslie: Since the inception of the council tax, the bands have been different in Scotland, England and Wales. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not made any assessment of the effect of this.

Council Tax

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will bring forward legislation to make provision for differential regional council tax bands between London and the rest of the country.

Christopher Leslie: The existing powers in the Local Government Finance Act 1992 allows the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to create regionally different council tax bands. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has announced that work will commence on a council tax revaluation in April 2005 coming into effect on 1 April 2007 and the banding structure will be decided nearer to the revaluation. No decisions have yet been taken.

Council Tax

David Lidington: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is on the capping of police authority council tax precepts for 2003–04.

Nick Raynsford: Individual authorities, not central Government, set council tax levels. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be looking very carefully at the level of council tax this year on a case by case basis when all the figures from local government have been received. The Office of the Deputy Prime does not rule out using our reserve capping powers to protect local council taxpayers.

Fire Services Act

John McDonnell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what reasons underlie (a) his proposal to remove his functions under section 19 of the Fire Services Act 1947 and (b) his decision not to seek to amend section 19.

Nick Raynsford: The proposed amendment of section 19 of the Fire Services Act 1947—subsections 19(1) and (2) will be retained—is an essential element of the new framework for a modern fire service set out by the Independent Review of the Fire Service, chaired by Professor Sir George Bain. As the Review identified, the primary objective must be to make the service more responsive to local needs and better placed to deliver community safety. Moving to a flexible risk-based approach to fire cover, as part of a new integrated risk management planning process, offers a real prospect of reducing the incidence of fire, and deaths and injuries from fire, as well as from other threats to community safety. The repeal, rather than amendment, of part of section 19 will assist the early implementation of this approach.
	The proposed repeal is also consistent with the principle of cutting back on consent regimes and red tape set out in the White Paper ''Strong Local Leadership—Quality Public Services'', published in December 2001. Repeal will place responsibility for decisions on local fire cover with democratically accountable local authorities, after consultation with their local communities.

Women's Unit

David Laws: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the annual cost of the Women's Unit was for each of the past three years; what the projected cost is for 2003–04; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: I have been asked to reply.
	The budgets for the financial years specified were:
	
		
			 Year £ 
		
		
			 1999–00 1,689,575 
			 2000–01 1,742,557 
			 2001–02 1,996,000 
			 2002–03 2,631,000 
		
	
	For the financial year 2003–04, the budget figures are yet to be confirmed by DTI.
	The Women and Equality Unit supports the Ministers for Women to bring about measurable improvements in the position of women which benefit society more generally and to promote equality for all.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Chorley Magistrates Court

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what categories of benches there are at Chorley Magistrates' Court.

Yvette Cooper: Family Panel, Youth Panel, Drug Testing and Treatment Order Panel, Out of Hours Applications Panel, Licensing and Betting Committee and the General Purpose Committee.

Chorley Magistrates Court

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many magistrates operate on the bench at Chorley.

Yvette Cooper: Sixty four.

Chorley Magistrates Court

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many courtrooms are available in Chorley.

Yvette Cooper: Three.

Smoking

Chris Grayling: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what policy the Department has adopted on smoking in the workplace.

Rosie Winterton: My Department's smoking policies aim to provide smoke-free working conditions for those staff who want them, while offering limited facilities for smokers, and help for those who wish to stop smoking. Local arrangements may differ, but in general, those offices and courts with a smoking policy will enforce ''no smoking'' in staff corridors, toilets, lifts and other common areas, and at meetings and seminars. Before local arrangements are introduced the views of smokers and non-smokers are sought and any differences resolved by agreement.

Public Guardianship Office

Patsy Calton: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what complaints procedure is in place in the event of the Public Guardianship Office breaching its charter.

Rosie Winterton: The Public Guardianship Office (PGO) will shortly be publishing a new guide to complaint handling entitled ''Putting Things Right''. Copies of this booklet will be made available to customers of the PGO who ask for guidance on how to complain. The information contained within the booklet will be available on the PGO Website and the booklet will be capable of being downloaded from the website.
	I will write to all MPs providing a copy of the booklet, and place copies in the Libraries of both Houses.

Court of Protection

Patsy Calton: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps are being taken to monitor the quality of judicial decisions, with particular reference to those of the Court of Protection.

Rosie Winterton: Judicial decisions of the Court of Protection are subject to appeal in the ordinary way. There is a system for internal review under Rule 54 of the Court of Protection Rules 2001 of judicial decisions made (whether by the Master, Assistant Masters or Nominated Officers) without an attended hearing, and for appeal to the High Court and beyond under Rule 55 and section 105 of the Mental Health Act 1983.
	The rules on appeals apply equally to appeals against decisions made under the Enduring Powers of Attorney Act 1985.
	There are some schemes to appraise part-time judges. However, independence of the judiciary is paramount and the aim of any appraisal is not to question judicial decisions but to observe the judges approach to, and handling of, the case.

Financial Penalties

Ben Chapman: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will make a statement on the (a) maximum and (b) minimum penalties for non-payment of financial penalties imposed by magistrates' courts.

Yvette Cooper: When a defaulter is brought before the court, the magistrates will have a number of enforcement options available to them. The sanctions to ensure the payment of fines include an attachment of earnings order if the defendant is in employment or deductions from social security benefits if they are not working. The maximum amount that can be deducted from an unemployed person is £2.70 per week. Other options include the issue of a distress warrant, (which empowers the person executing it to seize a person's goods or money to the value of the sum owed), or as a last resort, the court may decide to commit the defaulter to prison. The Courts Bill currently before Parliament proposes a number of new arrangements to facilitate the enforcement of fines, including new penalties such as clamping vehicles and entering the fine in the Register of County Court judgments.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Housing Benefit

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to change the capital limits in housing benefit.

Malcolm Wicks: We have no plans to change the capital limits in Housing Benefit.
	However, with the introduction of the Pension Credit from October 2003, the upper capital limit will be abolished for those pensioners receiving the guarantee credit, and savings below £6,000 (£10,000 for care home residents) will have no effect on entitlement.

Housing Benefit

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the expected changes to the IT that local authorities use following introduction of the housing benefit allowance pilots.

Malcolm Wicks: We are working with the pathfinder authorities and their software providers to identify the IT changes needed to introduce the new scheme and to collect the information required to evaluate it.

Housing Benefit

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the new combined housing benefit/council tax benefit claim form to be introduced from April 2003; and whether it will be used for all claimants.

Malcolm Wicks: We are launching a new combined Housing Benefit (HB) and Council Tax Benefit (CTB) claim form from April 2003. The new form, called the HCTB1, will replace the NHB1(HB) and NHB1(CTB) forms currently issued to customers who claim Income Support, income-related Jobseeker's Allowance or the Minimum Income Guarantee, and the new Pension Credit from October.
	The new form has been developed in consultation with local authorities and is designed to collect all the information needed by authorities to decide on a claim, thus removing the need for them to issue their own claim forms and for customers to complete three different forms to claim HB and CTB.
	Local Authorities are responsible for administering HB and CTB, and remain responsible for designing and issuing their own claim forms to people who are not claiming another income-related benefit.

Housing Benefit

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what additional training is planned for rent officers in preparation for the housing benefit allowance pilots.

Malcolm Wicks: The Standard Local Housing Allowances will be based on Local Reference Rents, which are currently determined by Rent Officers. Rent Officers therefore already have the necessary expertise to calculate the standard allowances. Detailed guidance will be issued to Rent Officers in the pathfinder areas before the pilot starts.

Housing Benefit

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will introduce the housing benefit allowance reforms to the social rented sector using different timetables for Scotland, Wales and England.

Malcolm Wicks: We are considering developing a system of standard housing allowances for tenants in the social rented sector to be tested in a suitable pathfinder area. A timetable for introducing this scheme has not yet been decided.

Health and Safety

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment has been made of the potential health impact to employees of industries and businesses, with specific reference to dry cleaners, resulting from the use of perchloroethylene in day to day operations.

Nick Brown: The Health and Safety Executive has undertaken a comprehensive human health risk assessment of perchloroethylene (perc) under the EU Existing Substances Regulation (ESR). HSE acts jointly with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to form the UK Competent Authority for ESR activities. The assessment, European Union Risk Assessment Report: Tetrachloroethylene. Draft ESR Risk Assessment Report, August 1996, includes workers exposed as a result of dry cleaning, copies of which have been placed in the Library.
	In the workplace, perc is subject to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. Employers are required to ensure that exposure to perc is reduced to at least the level of the Occupational Exposure Standard assigned to it (50ppm averaged over an 8 hour reference period, and 100ppm for a short-term exposure averaged over 15 minutes).

Winter Fuel Payments

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much money was spent last year on winter fuel payments.

Ian McCartney: Latest estimated figures for Winter 2001–02 show that expenditure on Winter Fuel Payments was £1.7 billion.

Benefit Payments

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason people must obtain a personal invitation document before requesting a Post Office card account application form; and why the application form is not sent out alongside the personal invitation document.

Malcolm Wicks: The Post Office card account is only available to benefit, state pension and tax credit recipients. A Personal Invitation Document from one of the Paying Departments is the means by which the Post Office can identify such people and will be used by the Post Office as one form of identification for opening an account.
	The Post Office card account is only one of three options available to customers wishing to access their money at the Post Office. The other options are a basic bank account or certain standard accounts.
	The Post Office card account is a service provided by Post Office Limited and not the Government. It is, therefore, the role of the Post Office, like any other account provider, to issue application forms for its own products.

Benefit Payments

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 10 February, Official Report, column 522W, on the Direct Credit Scheme (Pensions) what methods of payment will be available under the exceptions service.

Malcolm Wicks: Progress is being made towards an alternative method for paying those customers who we are unable to pay by Direct Payment. This is expected to be available from October 2004. The options for this service are still being developed and it will be available at a range of outlets which will include Post Office branches.

Benefit Payments

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Derbyshire have migrated from over-the-counter benefit payments to direct bank transfers.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of pensioners in Derbyshire that have migrated from payments collectable over the counter at post offices to payment into a bank or building society account is 293 as at 28 December 2002 compared with the same records from data available 4 weeks earlier.
	Some customers who are paid direct into an account can also collect their benefit in cash at post offices through network banking arrangements at the Post Office. There is no data available on the number of benefit claims collected in this way.

Benefit Payments

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether benefit claimants who have agreed to have their benefits paid direct into a bank account under the payment modernisation programme are allowed to change their mind and apply for a Post Office Card Account.

Malcolm Wicks: Customers will be provided with information to help them make an informed choice as to the type of account, most suited to their needs. Some customers may subsequently decide that their needs have changed and choose another type of account, including a Post Office card account.

Overseas Pensioners

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if all non-ACT pension payments to UK citizens living abroad are being made on time; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: This is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, Chief Executive of The Pension Service to reply. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. Steve Webb, dated 26 February 2003
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to respond to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if all non ACT pension payments to UK citizens living abroad are being made on time; and if he will make a statement.
	During 2002, the Department for Work and Pensions International Mail contract was responsible for over 115 million items of mail to overseas destinations. Of these, 1,565,172 items related to retirement pensions.
	Whilst every effort is made to ensure items destined for overseas customers arrive at their destination within the designated timescales, (5 calendar days for Europe and 10 calendar days for rest of the world destinations) unfortunately, sometimes delays are experienced.
	The most common causes of delay to overseas customers payments are: problems within foreign postal authorities. For example, strikes and adverse weather conditions, which affect the transportation of mail. Also national holidays in the receiving country can add delay. In addition to this, many foreign destinations have introduced an increased security policy at ports and airports, which is resulting in delays before the mail enters the recipient country.
	The Department for Work and Pensions has little influence in preventing delays in the receipt of payments once the items are handed over to the foreign postal authority.
	However, all delays reported by customers are taken very seriously and every effort is made to ascertain the reason for the delay, and an estimation of the severity of the problem, although we are reliant on foreign postal authorities communicating delays or problems within their delivery network.
	I hope that this is helpful.

Health and Safety Executive

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) staff and (b) inspection staff were employed by the Health and Safety Executive in each year since 1997.

Nick Brown: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Inspectors Staff in post (inc Insp) 
		
		
			 1st April 1997 1442 4077 
			 1st April 1998 1437 3932 
			 1st April 1999 1497 3880 
			 1st April 2000 1507 3937 
			 1st April 2001 1534 3894 
			 1st April 2002 1625 4050

Unemployment

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what further measures he will take to help communities with high levels of long term unemployment.

Nick Brown: Our active labour market policies, delivered by Jobcentre Plus, are helping people move from welfare into work in all parts of the country.
	Since April 2002, Jobcentre Plus has helped over a million people into jobs and, since they started, the New Deals have helped more than three quarters of a million people move from welfare into work.
	We are building on this success, providing more help for those who face the greatest barriers to work. Last year, for example, we launched StepUP in 20 pilot areas to provide transitional jobs for long-term unemployed people who have not secured sustained employment through the New Deals.
	We have introduced Employment Zones specifically to help long-term unemployed people. These are based in some of the most employment deprived areas in the UK. The 15 Zones have already helped over 30,000 people move into jobs. From October 2003 we are extending the Employment Zone approach to lone parents and New Deal returners in existing Zone areas.
	In addition, Action Teams for Jobs are assisting jobless people from a range of disadvantaged groups in the most employment deprived areas of the country. So far, the Teams have helped over 60,000 people move into work. We are enhancing the support provided by Action Teams, investing new funds, worth some £7 million per year, to help them support employment and transport projects that will benefit their local communities.
	We are continuing to improve and extend the range of help available to people living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Beginning next year, we will pilot a programme of intensive support for people living in some of those areas that have the highest concentrations of worklessness.

HEALTH

Primary Care Services

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 18 January, Official Report, column 285W, on primary care services, what impact he expects this policy to have on the number of acute hospitals in England and Wales.

John Hutton: Our intention is to provide more consultations and procedures outside hospitals and closer to where patients live. It is for local health communities to consider how their development of primary care services will affect demand for secondary care but the development of new or expanded services in primary care can be funded from the increased resources for primary care trusts which was announced in December 2002.
	On 14 February, we published new guidance on configuring hospital services "Keeping the NHS local: a new direction of travel." It showed how smaller hospitals in particular have the potential to offer a wider range of services for local people than has previously been thought possible.

Research Ethics Committees

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the annual reports of multi-centre research ethics committees have been (a) written, (b) circulated to local research ethics committees and (c) made available for public inspection.

David Lammy: The Central Office of Research Ethics Committees (COREC) has received annual reports for 2001–02 from all ten multi-centre research ethics committees in England. These reports are held by and available on request from COREC.

Specialised Health Services

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the statement made by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary during the Adjournment debate on 21 January on brain injury, Official Report, columns 50–52WH, what factors underlay his decision to postpone until 2004–05 the transfer of responsibility for specialist commissioning to consortiums of PCTs.

John Hutton: No decision has been taken to postpone the transfer of responsibility for commissioning specialised services to primary care trust (PCT) consortia. PCTs have been commissioning specialised services since April 2002 on a collaborative basis via their regional specialised commissioning groups (RSCGs) and their local specialised commissioning groups. RSCG membership is made up of PCT representatives, who replaced health authority representatives last April.

Waiting Times

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in Greater London have been waiting more than 13 weeks to see a consultant at the latest available date.

John Hutton: At 31 December 2002, within the London Directorate of Health and Social Care area, 45,222 patients where waiting more than 13 weeks for first consultant outpatient appointment following general practitioner written referral.

Call-up of Medical Reservists

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess which (a) strategic health authorities, (b) NHS trusts and (c) primary care trusts will be particularly affected by the loss of medical reservists if they are called up; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The number of medical reservists likely to be called-up is small. The Department is working closely with the Ministry of Defence and the National Health Service to ensure the effect of these call outs is kept to a minimum.

Clinical Waste

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what responsibility is retained by NHS trusts for clinical waste handled by a contractor.

John Hutton: Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 places ''duty of care'' requirements on importers, producers, carriers, keepers, treaters or disposers of ''controlled waste''. As waste producers, National Health Service trusts have responsibility to take all such measures as are reasonable in the circumstances to prevent unlawful depositing, handling or disposal of waste; the escape of waste from their control; to ensure the waste is only transferred to authorised persons and that appropriate records are maintained.
	Where a NHS trust employs a waste disposal contractor to dispose of its waste it must satisfy itself by a process of monitoring and auditing that the clinical waste collection and disposal process is adequate and complies with appropriate legislation.

Clinical Waste

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the procedure for disposing of waste human tissue from the NHS.

John Hutton: Identifiable human tissue is classified as clinical waste and needs to be dealt with by an authorised waste handling facility. The only appropriate treatment for identifiable human tissue is incineration.
	The National Health Service will follow recognised procedures for appropriate segregation and disposal of waste human tissue, as laid down in advice and guidance documentation. NHS Estates has published Safe disposal of clinical waste—whole hospital policy guidance and the Health and Safety Commission has published Safe disposal of clinical waste.

Clinical Waste

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the current contracts entered into by the NHS for the disposal of waste human tissue; and if he will place the terms of the contracts in the Library.

John Hutton: This information is not collected centrally. The National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) has no national contract in place and so NHS trusts negotiate their own contracts in this area.
	Because of this, we are not able to place the terms of these contracts in the Library.
	However, in the last 24 months waste management has been highlighted by PASA as an area with significant national spend and supply chain dynamics, suggesting that a national purchasing strategy should be developed. To this end, PASA has produced a procurement guide for total waste management and is working on a common set of terms and conditions for all trusts to use.

Clinical Waste

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the judgement in the case of R v. Eurocare Environmental Services Ltd, at Chester Crown Court on 14 February.

John Hutton: Any breach of the law with regard to clinical waste is a serious matter. We will consider the judgment carefully and identify any further action we should take.

Staff Numbers

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed by the (a) Medical Devices Agency, (b) Meat Hygiene Service and (c) Medicines Control Agency in each year since 1997; and how many of these were inspection staff in each case.

John Hutton: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Total Staff Numbers employed by the Organisations shown from 1997–98 to 2002–03
		
			 Agency 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Medical Devices 131 137 139 136 151 155 
			 Agency (MDA) (3,7) (5,12) (6,10) (9,16) (10,21) (9,18) 
			 Meat Hygiene 1,384 1,543 1,485 1,489 1,498 n/a 
			 Service (MHS) (1,247) (1,328) (1,273) (1,276) (1,310)  
			 Medicines Control 414 (23) 436 (24) 445 (21) 436 (19) 475 (25) 490 (27) 
			 Agency (MCA)   
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The data for 1997–98 to 2001–02 inclusive are those published in the annual reports and accounts of the organisations. For 2002–03 the latest available estimate is shown, except in the case of the MHS where the data are not yet available.
	2. Data in brackets are the number of inspection staff included in the total figure for the year shown. In the case of the MDA the data for inspection staff show the numbers of full-time and part-time staff respectively.

Clinical Quality Costs

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the grants funded by his Department for clinical quality for which organisations may apply; how much funding was made in the last financial year; how many awards were made; and what their administrative costs were.

John Hutton: The Department does not currently have a programme of grant funding in place, for which organisations are free to apply, which is targeted specifically as part of its clinical quality programme. National Health Service bodies are expected to fund clinical quality programmes from their mainstream budgets.

Camden and Islington Health Action Zone

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent in each year since its inception by the Camden and Islington Health Action zone; and if he will make a statement on its future.

John Hutton: Expenditure by Camden and Islington Health Action Zone has been as follows:
	
		
			 Year Expenditure 
		
		
			 1999–00 £1,453,000 
			 2000–01 £1,893,000 
			 2001–02 £1,904,000 
		
	
	Information on expenditure for 2002–03 is not yet available.
	Resource allocations for primary care trusts were announced on 11 December 2002 by means of HSC 2002/012. The allocations include health action zone revenue resource allocations for 2003–04 to 2005–06, including those relating to Camden and Islington Health Action Zone. In line with Shifting the Balance of Power, Camden and Islington Primary Care Trusts will be responsible for decisions about how these resources will be used.

GP Contracts

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what attempts the Government made to improve General Practitioners recruitment; what the Government are offering in new contracts for GPs; what incentives there are for women GPs who have taken career breaks to return to the profession; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The Government are committed to recruiting and retaining more general practitioners and has introduced a range of recruitment and retention initiatives to increase the workforce. These include: incentive payments and a returners scheme to encourage qualified general practitioners who have left general practice or have taken a career break to return; the extension of the flexible careers scheme to GPs to provide centrally supported opportunities for part-time and flexible working; the extension of the National Health Service childcare strategy to primary care; international recruitment and delayed retirement payments to encourage older GPs to extend their working lives.
	The new GP contract, if accepted, will improve the attractiveness of family medicine as a career choice for doctors and encourage those who are already GPs to stay in the profession.

Inventures

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the variant bid for Inventures included in the unsuccessful William Pears Group bid was used in the successful bid from the Miller Group.

John Hutton: There was no variant bid for Inventures. No variant bid from Health Estates was included in the Miller bid.

Inventures

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much he has spent on legal fees with regard to the Miller Group bid for Inventures.

John Hutton: Approximately £27,000 has been spent on legal fees in connection with the sale of Inventures to Miller/Bank of Scotland.

Inventures

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who was privy to the heads of terms documentation between the Miller Group and NHS Estates regarding the sale of Inventures.

John Hutton: The following organisations were privy to the agreed heads of terms documents between Miller/Bank of Scotland and NHS Estates:
	Successful consortia and their advisors;
	Department of Health, including NHS Estates and their advisors;
	Her Majesty's Treasury and the National Audit Office.

Inventures

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the fraud squad on the subject of the sale of Inventures.

John Hutton: There have been no discussions with the fraud squad regarding the sale of Inventures.

NHS Workforce Statistics

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish the annual NHS Workforce statistics.

John Hutton: National Health Service workforce statistics will be published shortly.

Pharmacies

Kerry Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the National Pharmaceutical Association regarding the Office of Fair Trading recommendations on pharmacies; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: I met the National Pharmaceutical Association on 4 February this year to hear their preliminary views on the Office of Fair Trading's report.
	These views and the Association's formal response received last month will help inform the Government response which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is co-ordinating.

Departmental Policies (Northampton, South)

Tony Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out, including statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Northampton, South constituency, on the effects on Northampton of his Department's policies and actions since June 2001.

David Lammy: In June 2001, there were 2,164 patients at the acute trust in Northampton waiting over 26 weeks for outpatient appointments. In December 2002 there were none. Similarly in June 2001, there were 594 patients waiting over 12 months for inpatient appointments. In December 2002, there were 224.
	At the Northampton General, £300,000 of capital expenditure has been invested in modernising accident and emergency services. Northampton Primary Care Trust covering Northampton will receive increases in funding of over 28 per cent. over the next three years, to help local Modernisation.
	A&E care performance at Northampton General has shown improvement, as a result of an additional £275,000 investment for the four-hour initiative and £115,000 funding for the establishment of the emergency care collaborative. Northampton General is confident to achieve the interim target of 90 per cent. by 31 March 2003.
	This is just a small sample of ''investment'' in local Modernisation.

Parliamentary Questions

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will answer the parliamentary questions numbered (a) 98918 and (b) 98920 tabled by the hon. Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon and (c) 98919 tabled by the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow)

David Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave him on Monday 3 March 2003, Official Report, column 885W and column 887W, and to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) on Monday 3 March 2003, Official Report, columns 888–89W.

NHS Trusts

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 10 February, ref, 95606, what his reasons are for not providing figures for the estimated financial out turn of NHS trusts; and if he will cite the section of the Code of Conduct on Access to Official Information on which he based his decision.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 13 February 2003
	These figures are a snapshot in time and in many cases are subject to rapidly changing conditions. Their publication could be misleading. They are for internal discussion and advice only. They are not intended to replace published audited annual accounts which are the accepted vehicle for reporting National Health Service financial performance.
	The figures are considered to be exempt under Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government information.

Youth Offending

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ask the Home Secretary to incorporate the Commission for Health Improvement into the new inspection regime for youth offending teams.

Hilary Benn: I have been asked to reply.
	A full-time representative of the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) will take part in the inspection of youth offending teams (Yots). This post will be jointly funded. The inspections will cover the health of young people being dealt with by Yots.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Accountancy Services

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in 2002.

Charles Clarke: Information on the costs classified as accountancy services in the accounts of the Department in 2002 is £120,136,44.

Age Diversity

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when his Department completed its diagnostic review for compliance with the Government's Code for Practice of Age Diversity in Employment; and what changes his Department plans to make following the review.

Stephen Twigg: My Department is committed to ensuring that there is no unfair discrimination on the basis of age. My Department took steps to embed the provisions of the Government's Code of Practice on Age Diversity in Employment following the completion of a diagnostic review in 2000. Age Diversity has been integrated into the Department's equal opportunity policies in accordance with the Cabinet Office's Performance and Innovation Unit report–''Winning the Generation Game'' 2000.
	In my Department, staff outside the Senior Civil Service can choose to retire between age 60 and age 65, subject to satisfying normal fitness and efficiency requirements.

Class Sizes

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of primary school pupils in England are in classes of (a) 20 and under, (b) 24 and under, (c) 26 and under, (d) 28 and under and (e) 30 and under; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Twigg: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Maintained Primary Schools (1): Number of Classesand Pupils (2) -- January 2002England
		
			  Classes taught by one teacherNo. of classesNo. of pupils% of pupils 
		
		
			 Classes with: 
			 20 or fewer pupils 18,440 290,317 7.4 
			 21 to 24 pupils 25,864 588,228 14.9 
			 25 to 26 pupils 21,251 542,625 13.8 
			 27 to 28 pupils 24,645 678,429 17.2 
			 29 to 30 pupils 38,594 1,142,816 29.0 
			 31 or more pupils 21,382 703,097 17.8 
			  
			 Total 150,176 3,945,512 100.0 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Includes middle schools as deemed.
	2. Classes as taught during the one selected period in each school on the day of the census.
	Source:
	Annual Schools Census
	The infant class limit of 30 or below became a statutory duty on admissions authorities from September 2001. Section 4 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, defines an infant class as one in which the majority of pupils will reach the age of 5, 6 or 7 in the course of the school year.

Political Studies

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to include political studies as part of the school curriculum during GCSE years.

Stephen Twigg: Our document 14–19: opportunity and excellence sets out our plans for the curriculum at Key Stage 4. In the document we explain that the compulsory curriculum comprises those subjects that are essential for progression or personal development. Although there is no GCSE subject in political studies, Citizenship became a compulsory subject in schools in September 2002. Learning about democratic and political processes is an important part of Citizenship education. Pupils learn about the institutions, issues, problems and practices of our democracy and develop an understanding of the importance of playing an active part in the political process.

Free School Meals

Tony Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many extra children in Northampton, South will be entitled to free school meals when the child tax credit and working tax credit is introduced in April.

Stephen Twigg: Her Majesty's Treasury estimate that an additional 75,000 children in England will, from 6 April 2003, be entitled to receive free school lunches by virtue of their parents claiming appropriate tax credits. No local breakdown is available.

Smoking

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what policy his Department has adopted on smoking in the workplace.

Stephen Twigg: My Department has agreed a smoking policy with the trade unions which gives staff a non-smoking work environment, but provides separate smoking areas. Smoking is not permitted on any Departmental site other than in the small number of clearly designated smoking rooms.
	My Department also provides details of organisations to help and support staff to give up smoking.

Work Placements

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many university students his Department and associated agencies has supported or sponsored with a work placement in the last year; what his policy is on work placements; what plans he has to develop such schemes; and what his policy is on paying their university fees.

Stephen Twigg: In 2002 my Department has sponsored:
	12 sandwich students;
	2 Windsor Fellows;
	1 Kings Fund student;
	3 students on work experience;
	16 Ethnic Minority Summer Development Programme participants;
	2 undergraduates employed on either part-time or vacation-only contracts.
	Our policy is to support work placements as a means of enabling students to gain valuable experience of the workplace. We are currently considering the possibility of developing an additional work experience programme for students at higher education institutions around the Department's four sites. The Department does not normally pay the university fees of students on work placements.

Jigsaw Research

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the purpose is of the project being carried out by Jigsaw Research for his Department.

Stephen Twigg: holding answer 6 March 2003
	The Department's Strategic Framework Delivering Results—A Strategy to 2006 sets out a commitment to deliver prompt, responsive and consistently excellent services to our customers. The research being carried out by Jigsaw Research, an independent market research company, is our way of measuring the quality of service we provide in response to letter, email and telephone enquiries and will help identify areas for improvement.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Health and Safety

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidance there is to (a) prevent and (b) deal with industrial accidents; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Brown: I have been asked to reply.
	The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for providing information and advice about health and safety at work.
	HSE produces a very wide range of publications to reduce risks and protect people including guidance on the law, Approved Codes of Practice, leaflets, information sheets and booklets on the prevention of accidents, managing specific risks and hazards, and the management of occupational health and safety.
	Last year, HSE produced over 300 new publications, sold nearly 1 million books and issued over 6 million free leaflets.

Ethics Advice

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice her Department gives to (a) consumers, (b) investors and (c) businesses on issues of (i) human rights, (ii) environmental protection, (iii) the use of forced labour and child labour and (iv) crime and corruption in overseas countries.

Patricia Hewitt: The Department of Trade and Industry and other government departments provide a range of information, most accessibly through their websites, on conditions in a range of overseas countries. This will assist consumers, investors and businesses to make informed decisions for themselves on specific issues of concern to them. For example, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's website (www.fco.gov.uk) offers country profiles, most of which include sections on human rights. Also published on this site is the FCO's Annual Report on Human Rights that gives comprehensive information on human rights for abuses worldwide and UK action. The Department for Work and Pensions provides information on the ILO's core labour conventions including those on forced and child labour in its sustainable development report (available at www.dwp.gov.uk), and contributes to a variety of other Government information sources, notably the Corporate Social Responsibility website (www.societyandbusiness.gov.uk). The FCO offers information to travellers on certain aspects of crime in some overseas countries and tailored information to UK firms and investors planning to do business in a specific overseas country. Information on this second topic is available on the TPUK website (www.tradepartners.gov.uk). The UK has also signed up to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, a set of recommendations for good corporate behaviour that include amongst other things recommendations on human rights, bribery and the environment—they are available at www.oecd.org.

Sustainable Construction

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what involvement her Department had in the development of the Sustainable Communities Plan regarding sustainable construction.

Brian Wilson: The Department was party to the development of the Sustainable Communities Plan and contributed on a number of issues including sustainable construction techniques and the principles of ''Rethinking Construction'' for new and refurbished house build.

North Sea Oil

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the oil recovery rate from UK North Sea reserves for each year of production; and what steps she is taking to maximise this rate.

Brian Wilson: UK North Sea oil production figures were provided in my answer of 16 January 2003, Official Report, column 799W. The table below set out UK Continental Shelf oil production for each year as a percentage of estimated remaining reserves. The Government is working closely with industry through PILOT, the oil and gas task force, to maximise economic recovery of the UK's hydrocarbon resources. A number of initiatives are being pursued helping to positively assist in this objective, including:
	stimulating activity on fallow areas;
	changes to the licensing regime to encourage more appraisal and exploration activity;
	promotion of asset trading;
	encouraging new entrants to the North Sea to ensure that assets are in the hands of those best placed to exploit them;
	encouraging innovative approaches to maximising recovery from ''brown'' fields;
	promoting the use of enhanced oil recovery techniques; and
	finding ways to maintain and enhance the skills base.
	
		UK Oil Production as a percentage of remaining reserves
		
			 Year Percentage 
		
		
			 1975 0.09 
			 1976 0.53 
			 1977 1.53 
			 1978 2.06 
			 1979 3.10 
			 1980 3.50 
			 1981 3.89 
			 1982 4.91 
			 1983 5.75 
			 1984 6.46 
			 1985 6.79 
			 1986 6.20 
			 1987 6.39 
			 1988 6.32 
			 1989 5.07 
			 1990 5.05 
			 1991 4.66 
			 1992 4.54 
			 1993 4.78 
			 1994 6.10 
			 1995 6.87 
			 1996 6.41 
			 1997 6.36 
			 1998 7.36 
			 1999 8.23 
			 2000 8.47 
			 2001 8.17

Industrial Injuries

Kevin Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claimants have had final settlements through each of the top 10 claims handlers involved in the compensation claims for (a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger of former coalminers.

Brian Wilson: The total number of full and final settlements is:
	
		
			 Top 10 Solicitors Respiratory Disease Top 10 Solicitors VWF 
		
		
			 Thompsons 8,851 UDM 8,759 
			 Hugh James Ford Simey 10,317 Thompsons 4,149 
			 UDM 5,044 Browell Smith & Co 6,339 
			 Raleys 6,174 Raleys 3,999 
			 Mark Gilbert Morse 2,188 Graysons 1,219 
			 Browell Smith & Co 3,583 Hugh James Ford Sime 4,448 
			 Beresfords 831 Watson Burton 1,830 
			 Graysons 2,911 Towells 1,674 
			 Watson Burton 1,977 Beresfords 540 
			 Randall Lloyd Jenkins & Martin 1,091 Kidd & Spoor Harper 1,416

Industrial Injuries

Kevin Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has been paid to claimants through each one of the top 10 claims handlers involved in the compensation claims for (a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger of former coalminers.

Brian Wilson: The total compensation paid to claimants is:
	
		
			 Top 10 Solicitors Respiratory Disease Top 10 Solicitors VWF 
		
		
			  £ million  £ million 
			 Thompsons 123.6 UDM 102.2 
			 Hugh James Ford Simey 129.1 Thompsons 7.5 
			 UDM 30.8 Browell Smith & Co 64.7 
			 Raleys 67.9 Raleys 4.8 
			 Mark Gilbert Morse 18.7 Graysons 2.9 
			 Browell Smith & Co 44.0 Hugh James Ford Sime 44.4 
			 Beresfords 2.4 Watson Burton 32.7 
			 Graysons 17.3 Towells 23.9 
			 Watson Burton 13.5 Beresfords 11.4

Industrial Injuries

Kevin Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been paid to date to each of the top 10 claims handlers involved in the compensation claims for (a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger of former coalminers.

Brian Wilson: The amount of costs paid is:
	
		
			 Top 10 Solicitors Respiratory Disease Top 10 Solicitors VWF 
		
		
			  £ million  £ million 
			 Thompsons 22.3 UDM 8.4 
			 Hugh James Ford Simey 23.4 Thompsons 7.4 
			 UDM 8.2 Browell Smith & Co 6.4 
			 Raleys 10.3 Raleys 4.8 
			 Mark Gilbert Morse 4.4 Graysons 2.9 
			 Browell Smith & Co 7.9 Hugh James Ford Sime 4.6 
			 Beresfords 1.1 Watson Burton 2.6 
			 Graysons 4.3 Towells 2.0 
			 Watson Burton 3.7 Beresfords 0.8 
			 Randall Lloyd Jenkins & Martin 2.7 Kidd & Spoor Harper 1.5

Industrial Injuries

Kevin Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claimants have had interim payments to date through each of the top 10 claims handlers involved in the compensation claim for (a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger of former coalminers.

Brian Wilson: The total interims payments made is:
	
		
			 Top 10 Solicitors Respiratory Disease Top 10 Solicitors VWF 
		
		
			 Thompsons 9,597 UDM 8,684 
			 Hugh James Ford Simey 6,890 Thompsons 9,664 
			 UDM 2,391 Browell Smith & Co 4,597 
			 Raleys 4,343 Raleys 4,818 
			 Mark Gilbert Morse 1,394 Graysons 4,334 
			 Browell Smith & Co 3,568 Hugh James Ford Sime 3,194 
			 Beresfords 126 Watson Burton 3,131 
			 Graysons 1,556 Towells 2,125 
			 Watson Burton 1,003 Beresfords 1,202 
			 Randall Lloyd Jenkins & Martin 646 Kidd & Spoor Harper 1,276

Oil Stocks

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with her opposite numbers in the International Energy Agency since 1 January over strategic oil stocks; and when she next plans to hold discussions with them on this matter.

Brian Wilson: My officials are in regular contact with the International Energy Agency about the oil market situation and strategic stocking arrangements, as are officials from other member states. Most recently the oil market situation was discussed, along with other agenda items at the routine IEA Governing Board meeting on 20 February. The next biennial IEA Ministerial Meeting is planned for the 28 and 29 April but the IEA Governing Board is ready to meet as, and when, circumstances require it to do so. Issue relating to oil stocks were also discussed at the EU Energy Ministerial informal meeting in Thessalonika on 22 February 2003, which I attended.

Iraq

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government is taking to ensure that British companies are able fairly to compete for reconstruction work in post-conflict Iraq.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 6 March 2003
	The Government's immediate focus is on the disarmament of Iraq. War is a last resort and is not inevitable. We will take full account of the interest of UK companies if and when the situation in Iraq changes.

Written Questions

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many named day written questions were tabled to the Department between 15 October 2002 and 24 February 2003; how many that received a holding answer were given a substantive answer (a) within three days, (b) within seven days, (c) within 14 days, (d) within 28 days and (e) over 28 days later; and what procedures the Department has in place to monitor performance on answering (i) Parliamentary Questions and (ii) ministerial letters.

Patricia Hewitt: The information relating to named day parliamentary questions is as follows:
	
		Answered
		
			 Total On named day Within 3 days of holding reply Within 7 days of holding reply Within 14 days of holding reply Within 28 days of holding reply Over 28 days of holding reply 
		
		
			 423 176 191 40 16 0 0 
			   Per cent. 
			  42 77 16 6 0 0 
		
	
	The department's parliamentary branch uses its internal database to closely monitor the progress on individual parliamentary questions from the time of tabling through to providing answers to hon. Members.
	The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on performance of departments in replying to Ministerial correspondence. The Report for 2001 was published on Friday 24 May 2002, Official Report, column 674W. The Report for 2002 will be published in due course.

Post Offices

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultation took place when considering the design of the PIN pads installed in post offices to enable people to withdraw benefits and other payments in cash; over what period of time the consultation took place; how many meetings were held; and what the costs were of (a) the PIN pads, (b) installation, (c) training and (d) making the PIN pads available for use in post offices.

Stephen Timms: These are matters which fall within the day-to-day responsibility of Post Office Ltd. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Employers' Liability Insurance

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent meetings the Construction Department in her Department has had with the insurance industry to discuss rising premiums for employers' liability insurance; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: DTI's Construction Sector Unit (CSU) is a member of the Association of British Insurers working group on Health and Safety. Officials attended the meeting of the group on 10 February to discuss rising insurance premiums, especially associated risk management issues, with representatives of the insurance industry. Representatives of construction industry bodies also participated in the meeting. CSU will continue to work with its insurance and industry contacts in connection with the construction-specific aspects of the insurance difficulties.
	The Department for Work and Pensions is currently undertaking a review of Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance (ELCI), which is due to be completed by Spring 2003. It would be inappropriate to make a statement while that review is still in progress.

Quality Mark

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will extend the health and safety checks offered as part of the Quality Mark scheme to other sectors of industry.

Brian Wilson: The Health and Safety checks offered within the QM Scheme are not exclusive to the Scheme, but merely standards within industry, which we have adopted as appropriate standards the scheme.
	The Quality Mark link with CHAS (Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme) is a commercial arrangement (a 20 per cent. discount is available on combined liability insurance premiums for firms with up to 20 manual employees).
	To further reduce bureaucracy for both contractors and public sector clients, and to encourage improved health and safety standards, Constructionline and the CHAS are sharing data gathering, maintenance and display for mutually registered firms, and clients. This new arrangement means that contractors need to complete only one, standard application form. It also means Constructionline and CHAS clients can access both schemes from one location; thus saving time and money for all involved.

Carbon Risk Management

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if her Department will undertake an assessment of banks' carbon risk management strategies.

Brian Wilson: The DTI has no specific plans to undertake an assessment of carbon risk management strategies for banks.
	However, the DTI are co-sponsors, with DEFRA and DFID, of Project FORGE. In November 2000, Project FORGE published guidelines on environmental management and reporting for the financial services sector. The guidelines are aimed at helping the financial services sector to identify, understand, control and communicate environmental impacts, risks and opportunities.

Carbon Risk Management

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a response to the recent findings in Carbon Finance and the Global Equity Markets published by the Carbon Disclosure Project.

Brian Wilson: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the Government has welcomed the recent report published by the Carbon Disclosure Project. The Government has no current plans to respond specifically to the findings of the report.

Renewables

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of the impact on the cost of electricity generation as a result of meeting her target of 20 per cent. of electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

Brian Wilson: We expect industry to respond to the framework that we have established and demonstrate they can achieve our goals at an acceptable cost. On that basis, as set out in the Energy White Paper, our aspiration is by 2020 to double renewables' share of electricity generation from our 2010 target and we will pursue policies to achieve this.
	The impact on the cost of generation of a 20 per cent. share of renewables in 2020 will depend on the generation costs of the renewables technologies and those of the alternative forms of generation. There would also be additional systems costs as a result of the increase in forms of intermittent generation such as onshore and offshore wind.
	A renewables strategy for the decade to 2020 will be elaborated in 2005–06, in the light of progress on the current Renewables Obligation. But if—purely as a working assumption—support were to be provided on the basis of a buyout price of 3p/kWh, as for the current Renewables Obligation, the maximum annual cost to consumers of moving from a 10 per cent. share to 20 per cent. could by 2020 be between £900m and £1.1 billion (assuming additional generation required of between 30 and 35TWh). For a lower buyout price the cost to consumers would be commensurately reduced. Additional annual systems costs could amount to between £140 million and £400 million.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Minister for Women what consultations she has conducted with women's organisations regarding the negotiations in the General Agreement on Trade in Services.

Patricia Hewitt: I meet regularly with the Women's National Commission on a range of issues, and women's organisations are represented on, and play an active part in, the Trade Policy Consultative Forum which myself or my noble Friend, the Minister for Trade and Investment, chair. On two occasions now the Forum has been dedicated to discussing the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) negotiations. Moreover, women's organisations were included as part of the public consultation that my Department recently undertook on these negotiations and, in February, my officials met again with the Women's National Commission to further discuss GATS issues.

Department Hospitality

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her Department's hospitality budget (a) is in 2002–03 and (b) was in each of the last three years; and how much was left unspent at the end of each financial year.

Patricia Hewitt: The latest estimated expenditure on entertainment in 2002–03 of the Department of Trade and Industry is £1,193,000.
	The expenditure for the previous three years was as follows:
	
		
			  £000's 
		
		
			 1999–00 887 
			 2000–01 1,089 
			 2001–02 1,165 
		
	
	Details of original budgets for these three years are not available.

Smoking

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what policy her Department has adopted on smoking in the workplace.

Patricia Hewitt: Smoking is only permitted in designated smoking rooms and areas. My Department keeps this policy under review in response to emerging scientific and medical evidence.

BNFL

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether BNFL owns (a) BNFL Instruments Inc, (b) Manufacturing Sciences Corporation, (c) Sierra Nuclear Corporation, (d) Westinghouse Electric Company LLC and (e) ABB; and what the current market value of each company owned by BNFL is.

Brian Wilson: BNFL owns 100 per cent. of the share capital of BNFL Instruments Inc, Manufacturing Sciences Corporation, and Sierra Nuclear Corporation. None of these entities has a material net worth in BNFL's balance sheet and there is currently no market valuation available.
	BNFL acquired the Westinghouse Electric Company LLC in March 1999 for a total consideration of £641 million (which comprised a mixture of cash and liabilities assumed). This was disclosed in BNFL's annual report and accounts for 1998–99. The acquisition of ABB's nuclear business was completed in April 2000 for £300 million. This transaction is disclosed in BNFL's 1999–00 annual report and accounts and the business has now been fully integrated into the Westinghouse entity. In line with the requirements of the relevant accounting standard BNFL reviewed the carrying value of these acquisitions for potential impairment at the end of the first full financial year following acquisition. There was no evidence of impairment at that stage and there have been no subsequent events or changes in circumstances which might indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. This was disclosed under note 1,c in the 2002 Annual report and accounts.

BNFL

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims for compensation BNFL inc has against the United States Department of Energy; and what the total amount being claimed is.

Brian Wilson: BNFL operates at several sites in the United States owned by the United States Department of Energy. The company were awarded contracts at the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Plant (AMWTP) and the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) worth circa $850 million and $250 million respectively. The contractual terms at each site are different and the process for claims can also vary. The amount of formal claims BNFL has at any site therefore will vary over time and is subject to continuous negotiation. However the total can represent a reasonable percentage of the contract value and run in to millions of dollars.

Oil Reserves

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what (a) the current level and (b) the official required level of the national oil reserves is.

Brian Wilson: Provisional data from oil companies suggest that at the end of January 2003, the UK had oil stocks equivalent to 78 days consumption of petroleum products, which is above the stock level of 67½ days worth of consumption of oil products that the UK is obliged to hold in accordance with EU legislation.

Viasystems Group

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements she has made with (a) Viasystems Group Inc and (b) others acting on its behalf in respect of the repayment of monies owed to the Government following the bankruptcy of the Viasystems Group Inc; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: We have received payments totalling £3m to date. Following Viasystems Group Inc.'s application for Chapter 11, the US court has approved a revised settlement agreement between the DTI, Viasystems Group Inc. and Viasystems Inc. in respect of the remaining £9 million owed to the Government. Under this agreement the £9m principal will be repaid in instalments over the period 2008–2010. The DTI will receive interest on the outstanding principal at 3 per cent. per annum through to 2008, and thereafter at Bank of England base rate plus 2 per cent.
	The DTI will also seek to recover the outstanding £9 million through the realisation of its charge over the former Viasystems Tyneside Limited site in North Tyneside. Any recoveries that are made under this realisation will be applied to principal payments due under the revised settlement agreement in reverse order of maturity.

Business Insurance

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment she has made of the effect of increases in the cost of insurance cover for businesses upon the competitiveness of British business; and if she will make a statement. [Transferred]

Nigel Griffiths: The Government is concerned by increases in the cost of insurance for businesses, particularly Employer's Liability Insurance (ELI). A recent survey of small businesses for the Small Business Survey found that only 2 per cent. of firms spontaneously cited insurance as a major obstacles to the success of the business, although when prompted 27 per cent. of firms said insurance was an obstacle to success. It is difficult to assess the effect on competitiveness of these increases in the cost of insurance. The Government's review of the ELI system, led by the Department for Work and Pension, aims to examine the impact of the current system on employers and make recommendations for change accordingly. It is due to report in Spring 2003; details are available at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2002/health-safety/eli-review/index.htm.
	The Office of Fair Trading is currently engaged in a short study of the liability insurance market, also due to report in Spring 2003, which will help inform the Government's review of the ELI system.

Energy White Papers

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which press and broadcasting outlets were briefed on the Energy White Paper prior to its publication; and if she will set out the reasons she gave interviews to the media on the contents of the White Paper prior to her statement to Parliament.

Patricia Hewitt: The Energy White Paper was laid before the House at 10am on Monday 24 February. Only after its publication did my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and I jointly hold a press conference at the Department of Trade and Industry.
	As I reported to the House on 24 February, Official Report, column 27W drafts of the Energy White Paper were leaked to the press ahead of the publication. Such action is a discourtesy to the House and I deplore it wholeheartedly.
	Prior to publication on the day of the White Paper I gave a limited number of broadcast interviews in which I discussed the Government's more general objectives in formulating a long-term policy for energy.

Energy White Papers

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to paragraph 4.3 of the Energy White Paper, Cm 5761, what resources she plans to commit to keep open the nuclear option.

Brian Wilson: The Energy White Paper does not rule out the possibility that at some stage in the future new nuclear build might be necessary, but does not include new measures or resources targeted at nuclear new build.
	In December 2002 we published the results of a nuclear and radiological skills study. In response, a task group is being formed across the sector to develop and implement a workforce development strategy. This industry-led initiative will be important regardless of whether new build is pursued in future.
	In addition, measures outlined in the White Paper to streamline the public inquiry process for major energy projects and to introduce the European emissions trading scheme could benefit the option of nuclear energy, were a decision taken in future to proceed with new nuclear power stations.

Sizewell B

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what purposes the spent nuclear fuel at the Sizewell B nuclear plant is being stored.

Brian Wilson: This is a matter for British Energy. Decisions on whether to reprocess spent nuclear fuel, or to hold it in long-term storage for direct disposal or reprocessing at some time in the future, are a matter for the commercial judgement of the owner of the spent fuel within the overall regulatory framework.

Miners' Pension Funds

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress she has made in reviewing the division of surpluses on miners' pension funds.

Brian Wilson: As I announced in a joint statement with trustees on 17 January 2002, the Government has been in discussion with the trustees of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme and the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme on the future of the Government Guarantee for those Schemes, including the division of fund surpluses.
	Against the background of large falls in world stock markets, which continue to have a major effect on investment performance, the trustees have been advised that the Government does not feel it would be right to adjust the current 50/50 surplus sharing arrangements.
	A number of other changes to the Guarantee arrangements have been agreed. In addition, discussions were to have continued to consider different methods of paying for the Guarantee and other ways of guaranteeing bonuses, where these different methods might offer advantages to Scheme members whilst not representing a significant additional burden on the taxpayer. However, NACODS South Wales have instigated a Judicial Review concerning the Guarantee to which the Government is obliged to respond. As a consequence, until this has been resolved, the Government does not feel it would be right to continue those discussions with the Trustees.

Miners' Pension Funds

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the value of the Government's share of surpluses on miners' pension funds was in each year from 1994. [Transferred]

Brian Wilson: The cash value of receipts to Government from surpluses from the two schemes since payments began in 1996–97 are as follows:
	
		
			 Cash £ millions 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 BCSSS 39.5 39.5 107.1 107.1 110.3 216.0 216.0 
			 MPS 0.0 113.0 113.0 0.00 315.0 196.0 196.0 
			  
			 Total 39.5 152.5 220.1 107.1 425.3 412.0 412.0

Bureaucracy

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the forms that her Department requires private sector businesses to complete and return.

Patricia Hewitt: A list of the forms the Department requires private sector business to complete is not held centrally.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Municipal Waste

Norman Baker: To ask the secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Lewes of 24 February, Official Report column 98W, on municipal waste, what percentage of household waste she anticipates will be recycled or composted by 2005 and what percentage of household waste will have value recovered by 2005 based on current achievements; and in respect of the waste recovery targets, what percentage of each target she estimates will be delivered by incineration.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 3 March 2003
	We are taking action aimed at delivering the targets for 2005 in Waste Strategy 2000, which were set out in my answer to the hon. Member of 26 February.
	In 2000–01, 11 per cent. of household waste in England was recycled or composted; provisional estimates based on Best Value Performance Indicators suggest this figure may increase to almost 13 per cent. for 2001–02. In 2000–01 value was recovered from 21 per cent. of municipal waste, 9 per cent. of this was through incineration with energy recovery.

Big Cats

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many big cats she estimates are present in the wild in the UK.

Elliot Morley: The Department is not aware of any confirmed instances of big cats (i.e. lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, cheetah, snow leopard, clouded leopard and puma) of unknown origin being found out of captivity in England in the last 20 years.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her projection is for UK carbon dioxide emissions in each year from 2003 to 2020, (a) based on Kyoto criteria and (b) including international air travel.

Michael Meacher: UK carbon dioxide emissions projections to the year 2020 were published in 2001 in the UK's Third National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The figures, which take account of effect of measures in the UK Climate Change Programme, are reported at five yearly intervals and are summarised in the table below. They are expressed as million tonnes of carbon per year (MtC/yr). The table includes the actual emissions data point for 2000. UK carbon dioxide emissions projections do not include emissions from international aviation which are reported separately, in accordance with international guidelines.
	
		
			 Year 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 
		
		
			 Total UK CO2 
			 emissions (MtC/yr) 152.1 141.7 133.0 134.3 134.0 
		
	
	Emissions from international aviation were about 7.8 MtC/yr in 2000, and projections made on the same basis as for the Third National Communication suggest that they may rise to about 8.6 MtC/yr in 2005 and 10.2 MtC/yr in 2010. Projections beyond 2010 are increasingly uncertain but emissions in 2020 could be between 14 and 16 MtC/yr.

Refrigerators

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the length of time needed to clear the backlog of refrigerators and freezers stored by local authorities in each region, assuming a continual arrival of more such appliances at the current flow.

Michael Meacher: The current backlog of stored refrigerators and freezers is expected to be cleared within 9–12 months. There are no regional figures.

GM Crops

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the occasions since June 2001 when the Government has received representations from the US authorities in favour of (a) allowing GM crops to be planted in the UK and (b) encouraging the consumption of GM food.

Michael Meacher: The Government and representatives of the US authorities are in regular contact and exchange views on issues relating to GM crops and food. However, details of these exchanges are not recorded centrally. In general, representations made to my Department from the US authorities relate to acceptance of imports of agricultural commodities from GM crops grown in the USA, rather than direct pressure to allow GM crops to be planted in the UK or encouraging the consumption of GM food.

Carbon Neutrality

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support has been given or is planned to be given to local authorities to assist towards obtaining carbon neutral status.

Elliot Morley: In the recently published Energy White Paper the Government set out its strategy to help local authorities take a more proactive role in helping to create a low carbon economy. This includes establishing a new beacon councils theme on sustainable energy, promoting energy efficiency as areas to be considered for Public Service Agreements and reviewing guidance to Energy Conservation Authorities on complying with the requirements of the Home Energy Conservation Act.
	The Carbon Trust and the Energy Saving Trust provide support to local authorities, through their various programmes, in reducing their carbon emissions and the development of a low carbon economy in the UK.
	Defra officials are working with the Carbon Trust with the aim of developing a major new programme, to encourage local authorities to take a systematic approach to assessing their greenhouse gas emissions and setting challenging improvement targets. This builds on a pilot, involving 24 local authorities in England and Wales. ''Councils for Climate Protection Programme'' was established by Defra with the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) and the Local Government Association and ran from September 2000 until May 2002.

Hazardous Chemicals

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the mandatory substitution of industrial chemicals that are intrinsically hazardous with those that are intrinsically less hazardous; and if she will seek to ensure that the new legislation on chemicals policy being drafted by the EU will determine that the existence of a practical and safer alternative will be sufficient grounds to refuse an authorisation to produce a chemical that has intrinsically hazardous properties.

Michael Meacher: As the Government said in its Chemicals Strategy (Sustainable production and use of chemicals, December 1999):
	''Risk reduction strategies should always look at substitution of more hazardous chemicals by safer alternatives.'' (p34).
	The position of the Government on the new EU chemicals strategy, as set out in its Position Statement of December 2002, is in line with this approach. The European Commission is yet to produce legislative proposals. When it does do, the UK will push for the availability of safer alternatives to be a major factor in determining whether an authorisation is refused for production, import or supply of hazardous chemicals meeting the criteria for authorisation.

Animal Welfare Bill

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the issue of enriched cages for egg laying hens has been part of the consultation into the proposed Animal Welfare Bill; and what the Government's policy is on this matter.

Elliot Morley: The issue of enriched cages has been subject to a separate public consultation. A decision will be announced shortly.

Invasive Plants

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she intends to publish her report on invasive plants and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Department, with the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales, has convened a working group comprising a wide range of stakeholders, to undertake a fundamental review of policy and practice on non-native species. The report of the working group is due to be published later this month. I shall make an announcement at the time of publication.

Invasive Plants

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what strategy she has adopted to deal with (a) Australian swamp stonecrop, (b) Japanese knotweed and (c) other invasive plants.

Elliot Morley: I am aware of the problems that can be caused by invasive non-native plants such as Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) and Australian swamp stonecrop (Crassula helmsii). The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 provides measures for prohibiting spread of Japanese knotweed, and some other invasive plant species. It is an offence to plant or otherwise cause this species to grow in the wild. Waste containing Japanese knotweed is controlled under the Environment Protection Act 1990. Australian swamp stonecrop is not currently regulated.
	The Environment Agency and English Nature, with the Centre for Aquatic Plant Management, produce detailed guidance for landowners and managers on how to control invasive non-native aquatic plant species. The Environment Agency also takes local measures to deal with problem plant species if flood defences are compromised. Similarly, English Nature may take local measures where conservation interests are threatened by these species.
	The Department is to publish a working group report on non-native species policy later this month.

Cetaceans

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what actions she is taking to prevent dolphin deaths in European waters; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Defra has already committed some £140,000 for trials into the use of exclusion devices developed by the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) to reduce the bycatch of cetaceans in pelagic trawl fisheries. The trial will be resumed in March in order to refine the system and further assess the grid's effectiveness in protecting dolphins and maintaining fish catch rates. If SMRU's trials are not successful, we will look at other mitigating measures and I do not rule out any approach at this stage—including arguing for EU restrictions on fishing, gear or seasonal closures.
	For measures to reduce cetacean bycatch to be effective requires action on the part of all member states involved in the fisheries concerned and the Commission. This is why we raised the need for urgent action by the Commission and other member states at the January Council of Ministers' meeting. I have raised this issue with Commissioner Fischler on a number of occasions both in writing and in personal contacts. I have also recently written to the Commission to press for urgent action to widen observer coverage off the South West coast where a number of other Member States' vessels fish. I was pleased that the Commission included a commitment to take action in this area in papers produced as part of the recent reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. I am looking for positive action on this in response to our recent approaches.

Pesticides

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment. Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the (a) 0.1mg and (b) 10mg limit on (i) active pesticide breakdown products and (ii) metabolites in groundwater;
	(2)  What recent (a) representations she has received and (b) discussions she has had regarding the limit of (a) pesticide breakdown products and (b) metabolites in groundwater; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  If she will list those metabolites considered (a) relevant and (b) non-relevant with regard to the 0.1mg limit on (i) pesticide breakdown products and (ii) metabolites in groundwater.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 5 March 2003
	The EU Pesticides Authorisations Directive (91/414/EEC) requires that pesticide active substances and their relevant metabolites, or breakdown products, should not exceed 0.1 micrograms per litre (0.1mg/L) in groundwater. This 0.1mg/L trigger value is the permitted level for pesticides and their relevant metabolites in drinking water. Its application to groundwater through Directive 91/414/EEC is designed to ensure that groundwater can be used for drinking water without treatment to remove pesticides. 0.1mg/L or 1 part in 10 billion is an extremely low level of contamination which ensures that consumers are protected from the most toxic pesticides.
	The European Commission adopted a ''guidance document on the assessment of the relevance of metabolites in groundwater of substances regulated under Council Directive 91/414/EEC'' on 26 February 2003. This document will soon be made available on the Commission website at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/ph ps/pro/wrkdoc/index en.htm
	The aim is to lay down an approach to the determination of which metabolites are of concern and which are not. The Guidance has the support of all member states except Denmark. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, received a letter from the Danish Environment Minister sent to all EU Ministers for the Environment seeking a Council debate on the document before its adoption. We have received no other recent representations on this issue.
	The relevance of the soil metabolites of particular pesticides is considered on a case by case basis using the approach laid down in the Guidance Document. In general metabolites are relevant if they (a) have comparable intrinsic properties to the parent compound or (b) have unacceptable toxicological properties. The conclusions on the relevance of particular metabolites as judged by the Guidance Document will be available in the review report for that compound. However, since the Guidance Document has only recently been adopted, no conclusions have yet been reached.
	The limit of 10 micrograms per litre (10 mg/L) on metabolites is not a legal limit. It is a trigger value in the Guidance Document applicable to ''non-relevant metabolites'' or metabolites of lesser concern. If a compound were to give rise to non-relevant metabolites above 10 mg/L then it would not be approved unless there was strong evidence that the metabolite was of no concern.

Ducks

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many ducks other than ruddy ducks, broken down by species, have been culled as a result of the ruddy duck control scheme.

Elliot Morley: Every effort was made to minimise casualties to non-target species during the regional control trial. The Standard Operating Procedures made it clear that there should be a high degree of vigilance over identification and that shooting should only take place if safe to do so without causing injury or death to non-target species
	Two female tufted ducks and one juvenile long-tailed duck were shot in error during the ruddy duck control trial. During trap testing in spring 2002, seven young mallard chicks were killed during three separate incidents when they became trapped in netting.

Vegetable Imports (Kenya)

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what checks are carried out on vegetables imported from Kenya to detect illegal use of DDT.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 27 February 2003
	DDT is a substance which is banned for use as an agricultural pesticide in the European Union under Council Directive 79/117/EEC. However, substances which are not approved in Europe may be used in other countries. Differences in approvals between countries can arise because different approval conditions are applied and because the need for specific pesticides in different countries differs. As far as we are aware, DDT still has public health use in Kenya. The fact that a compound is not approved in Europe does not mean that residues of that compound in imported produce are unsafe or illegal. However, any residues found must not exceed any agreed maximum residue levels set.
	The government conducts a wide-ranging annual surveillance programme for pesticide residues in food including imported food. Some 4,000 samples are analysed annually and the programme generates results for over 100,000 pesticide/commodity combinations. All the results are published on a web-site.
	www.pesticides.gov.uk/committees/PRC/prc.htm
	The surveillance programme for 2002 included monitoring for DDT in green beans from Kenya. No residues were found.

Water Supply

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the total water use in each region that was supplied from (a) watercourses, (b) aquifers, (c) reservoirs and (d) other sources in (i) 1974, (ii) 1984, (iii) 1994 and (iv) 2002; and what her estimate is for (A) 2012 and (B) 2022.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency records data on abstractions as from either groundwater (aquifers) or surface water. Abstractions from reservoirs are recorded in the surface water figures.
	The figures for abstractions of water in each Environment Agency region are expressed in the table below. Data for 1984 are unavailable in the format requested, but 1985 data have been provided as the total abstractions are comparable. Data for 2002 are currently being verified so abstractions for 2000 are given, representing the most recent year for which verified data is available.
	There may be discontinuities in the trend data caused by the adjustment of data published by the former Department of the Environment for 1974 and 1984 to coincide with Agency boundaries, and by changes to classification.
	
		Actual abstraction data by Environment Agency Region and source (million litres per day)
		
			  1974 1985 1994 2000 
		
		
			 Agency Region GW SW Total GW SW Total GW SW Total GW SW Total 
			 Anglian 948 1246 2194 988 964 1952 1054 1149 2203 1000 1668 2668 
			 Midlands 1539 6895 8434 1066 5796 6862 1142 3106 4248 1085 4209 5294 
			 North East 443 6024 6467 468 3394 3862 452 2982 3434 481 5728 6209 
			 North West 904 5298 6202 476 4281 4757 366 2642 3008 268 2694 2962 
			 South West 460 1112 1572 623 2657 3280 675 3969 4644 726 5225 5951 
			 Southern 1052 961 2013 1263 358 1621 1336 1479 2816 1379 4379 5758 
			 Thames 1734 2386 4120 1879 2599 4478 1569 3079 4649 1496 3310 4806 
			 Wales 284 8397 8681 144 8516 8660 183 7012 7195 86 10603 10689 
			  
			 Total 7364 32319 39683 6907 28565 35472 6777.2 25419 32196 6521 37816 44337 
		
	
	Note:
	Where: SW denotes surface water and GW denotes ground water
	Estimates for future water use in each Environment Agency region are expressed in the below table, as an expected range. These are derived from figures given in the Environment Agency's water resources strategy, Water Resources for the Future, which looks specifically at the years 2010 and 2025. The estimates have not been split into sources of water, though it is anticipated that any additional resources required would tend to be from surface water, rather than groundwater.
	
		Total predicted demand for 2010 and 2025 by Agency Region (million litres per day)
		
			  2010 minimum 2010 maximum 2025 minimum 2025 maximum 
		
		
			 Region 
			 Anglian 2563 2813 2013 4263 
			 Midlands 4016 4516 3216 6313 
			 North East 5916 6416 5066 7816 
			 North West 2986 3386 2136 4686 
			 South West 5924 6124 5624 7024 
			 Southern 5451 5551 5051 6451 
			 Thames 3994 4694 2994 6894 
			 EA Wales 8960 9160 8520 9860 
			  
			 Total 39810 42660 34620 53307

Incinerators

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many licences to operate incinerators on farm premises have been issued in the last 12 months.

Michael Meacher: The Environment Agency has issued two licences for the operation of incinerators on farm premises in the last 12 months. The sites are at Church Fenton in North Yorkshire and at Thornton in West Yorkshire and both licences authorise the operation of pet crematoria.

Fishing Industry

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment. Food and Rural Affairs how many fishing vessels will be restricted to 15 days at sea under EC Regulation 2371/2002 in (a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland; and how many will be (i) whitefish vessels using mesh size over 100mm, (ii) beam trawlers using mesh size above 80mm and (iii) gill netters.

Elliot Morley: The 15-day restriction applies to vessels using demersal towed gear of at least 100mm or beam trawl gear of at least 80mm in the designated areas. It is for owners to decide what gear they should use in the future, and thus determine how many vessels will be affected in 2002.
	However, on the basis of activity during 2002, and excluding vessels that were decommissioned during the year, 807 over 10 metre UK vessels used the three gear types specified in the designated area at some time during the year. The breakdown of the nationality of these vessels is given below.
	
		
			  England & Wales Scotland Northern Ireland UK 
		
		
			 Number of vessels 
			 using one or more of 
			 the three gear types 
			 specified during 2002 189 585 33 807 
			 Of which, using: 
			 demersal trawl of at 
			 least 100mm mesh size 113 392 30 535 
			 beam trawl of at least 80mm mesh size 45 3 3 51 
			 gill nets and other 
			 static demersal nets 42 410 0 452 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Gill nets and other static demersal nets can be used for up to 16 days per month under the EU regulation.
	2. Some vessels use more than one type of gear in a year. For example, in 2002 228 vessels used both demersal trawl of at least 100mm and gill nets in the designated area, and 3 vessels used both beam trawl and demersal trawls.
	3. Under the Regulation, where a vessel uses more than one type of gear in a month it is entitled to the average of the number of days permitted for each gear type.

Game Licences

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many game licences were issued for the 2001–2 season; how much it cost to administer the game licence regime in 2001–2; and how much revenue was received.

Elliot Morley: In the year 2001–2002, the total number of game licences issued by Post Offices in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland was 48,385. The total gross annual revenue from those licences was £251,884. The total annual cost of administering the scheme for 2001–2002 is estimated at £261,900 + VAT.
	In addition to the licences referred to above, district councils and London Borough councils issue licences to deal in game. No figures are collected centrally for the numbers of licences issued by councils. We understand that arrangements and charges vary.

Game Birds

Kali Mountford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to prohibit the (a) partial beak amputation of pheasants and (b) use of bits and blinkers on these birds.

Elliot Morley: The department is currently reviewing legislation relating to the welfare of captive and domestic animals, including that which relates to the rearing of pheasants, with a view to introducing an Animal Welfare Bill. No decisions have been made as to the Bill's content but it is proposed that there will be a period of consultation on a draft Bill by the beginning of next year.

British Beef

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on sales of British beef to French markets.

Elliot Morley: Beef produced under the Date-based Export Scheme (DBES) has been exported to several EU countries. However, because only one establishment is currently approved to produce DBES beef, information about export consignments is commercially confidential.
	Since the French agreed to lift the ban lifted last year, British beef has been eaten at several high profile events in France, including at a lunch attended by the Prince of Wales in Paris on 6 February.

Livestock Welfare

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will resubmit the draft Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of Livestock: Cattle for consideration by the Second Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation.

Elliot Morley: The Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of Livestock: Cattle will be re-laid shortly for approval in both Houses.

Foot and Mouth

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made since the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease to strengthen measures for dealing with any new outbreak.

Elliot Morley: The Government's Response to the Reports of the Foot and Mouth Disease Inquiries (Cm 5637, November 2002) sets out measures taken and work in hand to implement the lessons learned from the 2001 outbreak. Progress has been made in many areas. Measures of particular note are:
	the Animal Health Act 2002, which adds to powers to deal swiftly with outbreaks in England and Wales. Similar legislation is in preparation in Scotland.
	an improved Foot and Mouth Disease Contingency Plan which is currently subject to consultation prior to being laid before Parliament at the end of this month; this includes enhanced preparedness for emergency vaccination;
	tighter controls on animal movements and markets, and higher standards of biosecurity in use of livestock vehicles.
	In addition preventive measures have been taken, for example to minimise illegal imports of meat and meat products and to ban swill feeding.

Cleve Farm

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how long the parallel pyres at Cleeve Farm, Westbury on Severn, Gloucestershire, were active.

Elliot Morley: Eleven pyres were constructed at Cleeve Farm, Westbury-on-Severn, and that the first one was lit on or around 24 March 2001 and the last one on or around 2 April 2001. I understand that the pyres were active for two weeks, although they would have smouldered for several weeks after this.

Bureaucracy

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the forms that her Department requires private sector businesses to complete and return.

Elliot Morley: The statistical survey forms required to be completed by private businesses are shown below together with frequency and the number of forms received during 2001.
	
		
			  Number of Responses Frequency 
		
		
			 Agricultural and Horticultural Census—June 28,749* Annual 
			 December Agricultural Survey 21,503 Annual 
			 Earnings and Hours of Agricultural and Horticultural Workers 1,783 Annual 
			 Vegetables and Flowers Survey 3,458 Annual 
			 Glasshouse Survey 2,226 Annual 
			 Orchard Fruit Survey 576 Annual 
			 Production and Marketing of Hatching Chicks & Eggs 880 Monthly 
			 Return of Stock Slaughtered by Type of Animal 6,735 Weekly and monthly 
			 Bacon and Ham Produced 187 Monthly and annual 
			 Animal Feeding-stuffs: Production, Stocks and Usage of Raw Materials 841 Monthly and annual 
			 Wheat Milled and Flour Production 588 Monthly and annual 
			 Oatmeal Millers—Stocks, Receipts and Production 72 Monthly 
			 Brewers, Distillers and Maltsters—Stocks and Usage of Cereals 307 Monthly and annual 
			 Cereal Breakfast Foods 81 Monthly 
			 The Value of Milk Purchased in England and Wales 530 Monthly 
			 First Hand Price Reporting to Brussels 36 Monthly 
			 Purchase of British Corn in England and Wales 9,308 Weekly 
			 Seed Traders Annual Return 998 Annual 
			 Registration of Seed Multiplication Contracts not in the EU 14 Biannual 
			 Average Grower Prices for Home-Grown Herbage Seeds 12 Annual 
			 EC Survey of Wine Stocks–Producers, Wholesalers and Retailers 75 Annual 
			 Stocks of Cereals and Feeding-stuffs held by Importers, Dealers and Merchants 205 Annual and quarterly 
		
	
	Notes:
	* ''survey restricted due to Foot and Mouth disease—normally about 80,000
	Additionally, a total of 39,275 responses were received in respect of 60 voluntary surveys which were conducted during 2001.
	Defra keeps its statistical requirements under review. A research project to assess the amount of information (statistical and other) collected from farmers and growers is underway.

Bush Meat

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many arrests have been made in the last five years for crimes relating to importing illegal bushmeat; and how many convictions have resulted from these arrests.

Elliot Morley: Comprehensive records of arrests and convictions for the illegal importation of any meat are not held centrally. Prosecutions for offences relating to bushmeat can be brought under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species by HM Customs, and under the Products of Animal Origin (Third Country Imports) (England) Regulations by local authorities. We are aware of three convictions for offences relating to the illegal importation of bushmeat, all in 2001.

Bush Meat

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government is taking to increase vigilance at airports to discourage the importation of illegal bushmeat from Africa

Elliot Morley: Bushmeat refers to the meat of any wild animal hunted for food. It is not necessarily from endangered species. Bushmeat forms only a very small proportion of reported seizures of illegal meat. Controls on its import arise from both the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), and from controls imposed to protect animal health. Action against illegal imports is not limited to bushmeat, nor is it targeted solely at Africa.
	In the current financial year, additional measures have been introduced at airports to tackle illegal imports. Temporary agency staff, funded by Defra, have been recruited to carry out checks to detect smuggled goods—teams of six are based at our major airports. We are also paying for additional checks through overtime at regional airports, and Customs has provided support. Additional inspection resources have also been provided through the detector dog pilot based at Heathrow. A publicity campaign including videos, posters and leaflets has targeted ports, airports and points of departure.
	A total of £25 million has been allocated over the next three financial years to tackle illegal imports from outside the European Union of any meat, other animal products and plant products. Following the Cabinet Office review of enforcement structures, HM Customs will be taking over all anti-smuggling activity as soon as practicable.

Bush Meat

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with the President and Secretariat of the CITES Bushmeat Working Group to support its future work.

Elliot Morley: This Department and its representatives have had informal discussions from time to time with the President and members of the CITES Bushmeat Working Group about the general direction being taken by the Group and about progress being made. However, we have always strongly maintained that the Group should remain first and foremost a Central and West African initiative. We have therefore deliberately sought not to initiate or participate too deeply in formal discussions. Our input to the direction taken by the Group and the development of its strategies and solutions is therefore taken forward mainly in the context of our participation in meetings of the Group, such as that taking place in Douala from 26 to 28 March 2003.

Bush Meat

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what financial support her Department intends to provide the CITES Bushmeat Working Group in future years.

Elliot Morley: Following the agreement reached at the last Conference of CITES Parties (Santiago, 2002) to extend the work of the CITES Bushmeat Working Group, we have recently contributed a further £15,000 to the Group to help it carry forward its work to the next CITES Conference in 2004. This brings our total support for the CITES Bushmeat Working Group since its inception in April 2000 to £70,000.

Bush Meat

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what analysis her Department has made of the progress the CITES Bushmeat Working Group has made in tackling the unsustainable bushmeat crisis.

Elliot Morley: We have analysed reports produced both by the CITES Bushmeat Working Group itself and by those attending meetings of the Working Group on behalf of this Department. From these we believe that, after a slow start, the Group is now making good progress towards its aim of establishing strategies to overcome the problem of unsustainable trade in bushmeat in Central and West Africa.
	The Group is highly committed and dedicated and has produced some useful work. In particular, it has completed an important study of laws and policies across the sub-region in support of its specific objective to develop strategies for the sustainable use of bushmeat within a lawful legislative context. We believe this study will provide a valuable resource for all the countries of the region in their efforts to harmonise and strengthen controls.

Bush Meat

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which members of her Department will be attending the forthcoming CITES Bushmeat Working Group in Cameroon.

Elliot Morley: This Department will be represented at the next CITES Bushmeat Working Group meeting (in Douala, Cameroon, from 26 to 28 March) by Dr. David Brown of the Overseas Development Institute's Forest Policy and Environment Group.
	Dr. Brown co-authored the UK Government's 11CITES Conference discussion paper ''Bushmeat as a Trade and Wildlife Management Issue'' (April 2000), which included the recommendation to establish a CITES Bushmeat Working Group. Dr. Brown also represented the Department at the Working Group's last meeting (in September 2002).

Animal Rights

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with European Union colleagues regarding a European agreement on animal rights and treatment during transport;
	(2)  what measures are in place to ensure that (a) the treatment of animals in transport is humane and that (b) animal rights are protected.

Elliot Morley: The 1997 Protocol to the Treaty of Rome recognises animals as sentient beings. As a result the European Union and member states must pay full, regard to animal welfare in formulating and implementing policy on agriculture, transport, the internal market and research.
	Animal welfare during transport is governed by directive 91/628/EEC, as amended, and implemented in Great Britain by the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997, as amended. We have regularly pressed the European Commission to introduce proposals to update and revise the directive. They have indicated that they intend to do so later this year. We look forward to playing a leading part in negotiating a new directive.
	We have also had an active role in revising the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Animals during International Transport

Welfare of Hens

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of the eggs sold in the UK were produced in (a) free range systems, (b) barn systems and (c) cage systems in the last 12 months.

Elliot Morley: Defra does not hold this specific data. However, of egg packing station throughput in the UK in 2002, 23 per cent. came from free-range systems, 6 per cent. from barn systems and 71 per cent. from cage systems. During the previous year (2001), 23 per cent. came from free-range systems, 5 per cent. from barn systems and 72 per cent. from cage systems.

Welfare of Hens

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations her Department is making to the European Union on the issue of enriched cages for egg laying hens; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Government's policy on enriched cages has been subject to public consultation. A decision will be announced shortly.

Welfare of Hens

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many farms in the UK intensively produce eggs; and how many of these use the (a) barren battery cage system and (b) enriched cage system;
	(2)  how many and what percentage of farms, in the last 10 years have intensively produced eggs in the UK.

Elliot Morley: Defra does not hold this data. However, in 2002, 71 per cent. of UK egg packing station throughput came from caged birds.

Animal Cloning

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the relevance of the findings of the Banner Committee's report into the ethical implications of cloning animals.

Elliot Morley: In its 1995 Report on ''Ethical implications of emerging technologies in the breeding of farm animals'', the Banner Committee concluded that the cloning of farmed livestock is ethically acceptable provided it is carried out within the welfare framework principles laid down in the report. The 2002 report by the Farm Animal Welfare Council ''Implications of cloning for the welfare of farmed livestock'' and the 2002 report of the Agriculture & Environment Biotechnology Commission ''Animals & Biotechnology'' endorsed the conclusions of the Banner Committee. The Banner framework principles are now required for cloning research in the UK. This reinforces the Government's view that all animals (whether domestic, farmed or used for scientific purposes) should be kept to the highest possible welfare standards.

Animal Cloning

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the Government has to review the findings of the Banner Committee's Report into the ethical implications of cloning animals.

Elliot Morley: The Report of the Committee to consider the ethical implications of emerging technologies in the breeding of farm animals (the Banner Report) was published in 1995. The Government has no plans to review its findings. The Farm Animal Welfare Council reported on the welfare implications of cloning farm animals and the Government response to their report was published on 7 August 2002 and is available on the Farm Animal Welfare Council web site www.fawc.org.uk. The Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission published a report on Animals and Biotechnology in September 2002, to which the Government responded last December. Both documents are available from the Commission's website www.aebc.gov.uk.

Farm Subsidies

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial inducements the Government is offering to farmers to farm non-food crops on set-aside land.

Michael Meacher: Under the European Union's Arable Area Payments Scheme, farmers receive a compensatory payment for putting land into set-aside on condition that no agricultural activity or other lucrative use is carried out in the set-aside period. But, in recognition of the fact that non-food crops do not contribute to oversupply of the cereals market, the Scheme does allow a range of such crops, including energy crops, to be grown without loss of the compensatory payment.
	Farmers growing short rotation coppice and miscanthus as an energy crop on set-aside land may also qualify for the establishment grants available under the Energy Crops Scheme.

Farm Subsidies

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the cost to public funds of farm subsidies (a) in total and (b) per head of population in 2002–03.

Elliot Morley: Defra's budget for expenditure on farm subsidies in 2002–03 is as follows:
	
		
			  (a) In total (£m) (b) per head of population (£) 
		
		
			 Direct aid payments in England 1,334.3 27.13 
			 England Rural Development Plan 214.6 4.36 
			 Over Thirty Month Scheme 
			 compensation (UK) 253.7 4.31 
			  
			 Total 1,802.6 
		
	
	Note:
	The EU provides full or part funding for the above expenditure.

Flood Prevention

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures her Department is taking to encourage farmers to (a) reduce run-off and (b) store floodwaters on their land.

Elliot Morley: The effects of land use on flood run-off, particularly at catchment scales, are not well understood and Defra has commissioned a research project to review knowledge in this area and develop a clearly targeted programme of further research, which started in January 2003.
	This Department is supporting the introduction of Catchment Flood Management Plans (CFMPs) which the Environment Agency is planning to deliver for the whole of England and Wales over the next five to six years. These will consider the impact of future development, land use changes and climate change and will explore the use of wetlands, washlands and flood storage areas in reducing flood risk to local communities.
	The government is currently piloting an Entry Level Scheme aimed at paying farmers for a range of simple, environmentally beneficial management measures across wide areas of the countryside. Due largely to the scientific uncertainties mentioned above, these pilots do not contain measures specifically intended to reduce run-off or to store floodwaters. The main Entry Level Scheme is due to be introduced in 2005, subject to the success of the pilot. It is possible that some water management measures may be included at that stage if they can be scientifically justified and shown to be cost-effective. It will however be important to ensure that they do not result in incidental damage to other environmental interests, such as archaeology.
	Many current flood alleviation schemes to reduce flood impact in urban areas rely on flood water storage on farm land. There is no automatic right to payment where land is naturally at risk of flooding and this risk will be reflected in the market price of the land and its pattern of use. Where changes to the flooding regime are made to benefit other areas then landowners/occupiers are entitled to compensation if they suffer any additional loss.

Flood Prevention

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to transfer responsibility for critical ordinary water courses from internal drainage boards and local authorities to the Environment Agency.

Elliot Morley: A transfer of responsibility for critical ordinary watercourses from internal drainage boards and local authorities to the Environment Agency was one proposal considered during the recent review of the administrative and funding arrangements for flood and coastal defence. I am considering the conclusions of that review and will make an announcement as soon as possible.

Flood Prevention

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Environment Agency is taking to prevent flooding in Marlow and Medmenham.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 6 March 2003
	Following the flooding in January, the Environment Agency will be undertaking pre-feasibility studies to identify options for the alleviation of flooding in both Marlow and Medmenham. The Environment Agency have had discussions with residents of Medmenham at a public meeting and has met with Wycombe District Council to determine a joint approach for reducing flood risk in the area.
	If the pre-feasibility study identifies a technically, environmentally sustainable and economically viable solution for the flood risk area then a capital scheme may be initiated. As well as the provision of flood defences, options for reducing flood risk may also include improved maintenance regimes by riparian owners, local authorities or the Agency and/or an improved flood warning service.

Flood Prevention

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment. Food and Rural Affairs how much of the additional funding for capital projects and studies for flood and coastal defence in 2003–04, announced on 12 February will be spent on (a) inland wet washland storage and (b) managed realignment on the coast.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 4 March 2003
	Defra will grant aid capital projects and related studies that meet specified economic, technical and environmental criteria and achieve the threshold score of 22 for 03–04 under the Department's prioritisation system. Decisions regarding which flood and coastal defence projects to promote, their timing and appropriate solutions are matters for the operating authorities—the Environment Agency (EA), local authorities and (in areas with special drainage needs) internal drainage boards. It is therefore not possible to provide the information requested.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Cruelty to Animals

Norman Baker: To ask the Solicitor General how many animals have been returned to their owners after the owner has been convicted of causing cruelty to that animal in the last year for which records are available; and what percentage of convictions this represents.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	These figures are not recorded.

Cruelty to Animals

Norman Baker: To ask the Solicitor General what the Government's policy is on animals that have been mistreated being returned to their owners after a court case has convicted the owner of cruelty.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	Under the Protection of Animals Act 1911 there is provision for a court to make a deprivation and disqualification order in addition to any other punishment on conviction of cruelty.
	The use and effectiveness of deprivation and disqualificaton orders is currently being examined in the context of the preparation of an Animal Welfare Bill.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Domestic Violence

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Minister for Women what discussions she has had with the Home Office regarding the central collection of domestic violence statistics; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 5 March 2003
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 March 2003, Official Report, columns 804–05W.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Youth Justice

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 10–17 year olds in the last two years for which data are available were sentenced by (a) magistrates' courts (b) a youth court and (c) a Crown court to (i) a secure training order, (ii) a young offender institution and (iii) a local authority secure unit.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 4 March 2003
	The information contained in the table gives the number of juveniles sentenced to all forms of immediate custody in England and Wales in 2000 and 2001.
	Statistics for 2002 will be published in the Autumn.
	
		Juveniles sentenced to immediate custody, England and Wales, by type of court
		
			  Secure Training Order 1 Detention and training order 2 Young Offender Institution 3 Detained under s90/92 PCC(S)A 2000 4 
		
		
			  2000 2001 2000 2001 2000 2001 2000 2001 
			 Magistrates' Courts 6 * 161 251 54 * * * 
			 Youth Courts 77 * 3,741 5,518 1,096 * * * 
			 The Crown Court 2 * 1,172 1,300 523 * 582 527 
		
	
	Notes:
	1 Available to 31 March 2000, when replaced by detention and training orders.
	2 Available nationally from 1 April 2000.
	3 Replaced by detention and training orders from 31 March 2000.
	4 Sec 53 Children and Young Persons Act 1933 prior to 25 August 2000.
	* = not applicable.
	Source:
	Home Office Court Proceedings database.
	The following table, compiled from Youth Justice Board data, shows the type of establishment in which juveniles sentenced to immediate custody were accommodated after sentence. Such information is not collected centrally by type of court.
	Juveniles sentenced to immediate custody, England and Wales, by type of establishment in which accommodated
	
		
			  2000(1) 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Secure training centre 391 471 393 
			 Local Authority Secure Unit 410 599 466 
			 Young Offender Institution 5,679 6,881 5,766 
		
	
	Note:
	(1) From 1 April 2000.
	Source:
	Youth Justice Board.

Smoking

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what policy his Department has adopted on smoking in the workplace.

Beverley Hughes: Smoking in the main Home Office buildings in central London is not permitted except in designated smoking rooms. The policy extends to other buildings outside central London, but is subject to local accommodation constraints for example, in rented buildings smoking may be banned by the landlord or major occupier.
	National No Smoking campaigns are regularly promoted. ''Stop smoking'' courses and displays have been held to help staff who wish to give up smoking.

Angel Group

Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the properties acquired by the Angel Group and its subsidiaries from Government departments and agencies and dates and costs of their acquisition.

Beverley Hughes: The Home Office has sold one property to the Angel Group. The Prison Service College in Love Lane, Wakefield was sold on 6 July 2001 at a price of £1,161,000.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason he has not replied to the letter to him dated 15 January from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mrs. Huda Abdulwahed.

David Blunkett: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 28 February 2003.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Criminal Records Bureau is processing Disclosure applications in Madras; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Disclosure applications are not being processed in Madras, India. All Disclosure applications are processed at the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) sites at Liverpool and Darwen, Blackburn. The work being undertaken at Madras involves manual inputting of personal information such as name, date of birth and addresses during the past five years, provided by individuals on their application forms. This work is undertaken at the beginning of the process, and no information drawn from police sources or other data sources is involved.
	This arrangement was introduced as part of a package of measures to improve the performance of the CRB. It has proved highly effective in enabling large numbers of paper application forms to be processed, with timely, efficient and accurate data capture, and eliminating backlogs from this critical stage of the CRB process.
	The contractual provisions make it clear that the processing of data must be in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998, and security and other arrangements must be such that they do not involve a material increase to the risk of misuse of data.
	Before agreement was given for any data to be processed in India, the site was visited by senior officials from the CRB, who were fully satisfied that this was the case.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 9 January, Official Report, columns 287–88W, on the Criminal Records Bureau, if he will place in the Library a copy of the CRB application form for (a) basic, (b) standard and (c) enhanced disclosures and the guidance notes for (i) before and (ii) after they were modified.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 6 February 2003
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 25 February 2003, Official Report, column 403W.

Deportations

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to permit airlines to refuse to accept passengers who are being deported or removed by order of the Government where such passengers cause disruption and distress to others; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 6 March 2003
	It is the individual responsibility of the captain of an aircraft to have regard to the safety of all persons onboard and to refuse to accept passengers who may be a potential danger to the safety of the aircraft. Whilst the carrier has an obligation to accept removal directions lawfully given under the Immigration Act 1971 and the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, the legislation provides the defence of ''reasonable excuse'' for failure to comply with such directions.

Hinton Hotel, Fareham

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people are registered at the Hinton Hotel, Fareham by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 6 March 2003
	As at 5 March there were eight asylum seekers registered at the Hinton Hotel. They have all applied for support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS). If eligible for support they will be dispersed, as soon as suitable accommodation is identified, to one of the designated cluster areas.

Criminal Justice Bill

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has undertaken of the risk of false conviction arising as a result of the implementation of Clause 81 of the Criminal Justice Bill.

Hilary Benn: Clauses 81 to 97 of the Criminal Justice Bill sets out a new statutory scheme for admitting evidence of a person's bad character. Clause 81 defines the range of evidence whose admissibility is to be determined under the new rules. It does not follow that any evidence that comes within this definition is admissible. But it does ensure that any such evidence can only be admitted under the Bill's scheme.
	In terms of admitting evidence, clauses 83 and 84 set out, for non-defendants and defendants respectively, the circumstances in which evidence that falls under clause 81 can be admitted. These ensure that evidence will only be admitted where it will have a clear bearing on the issues in the case.
	The scheme includes a number of important safeguards. These include, in the case of defendants, the fact that evidence is to be excluded in appropriate circumstances if admitting it would adversely affect the fairness of proceedings. In applying this test, the courts will weigh the possible prejudicial effect of the evidence against its probative value and exclude the evidence where the likely prejudice would exceed it.
	The new rules will therefore assist juries and magistrates to reach proper and fair verdicts by enabling them to hear a wider range of relevant evidence while ensuring that evidence that is likely to be given too much weight or might distort a court's assessment of the issues is excluded.

Electronic Data Services

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what IT contracts have been available to Electronic Data Services in respect of work on behalf of the prison service; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The Prison Service outsourced its Information Technology (IT) to Electronic Data Systems (EDS) with effect from 1 July 2000. Under the terms of the 12 year Agreement EDS is responsible for implementing a modern IT and telecommunications infrastructure. The contract also contains provision for IT enabled business change but any such projects are not guaranteed to EDS under its terms. The contract was awarded, following competitive tender, in February 2000.

Schools (Terrorism)

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedural advice has been issued to schools in London in the event of (a) a terrorist alert and (b) a terrorist attack.

David Blunkett: All schools and Local Education Authorities in England have previously been made aware that they can access guidance on dealing with terrorism via the UK Resilience website www.ukresilience.info. Many local authorities have also issued guidance to schools in their area to assist in emergency planning.
	Government departments and the police are also working together to develop further public information to help people maintain vigilance and prepare for the consequences of terrorist acts. The aim of any agreed activity will be to increase public safety by providing a clear consistent and co-ordinated message. I announced on 3 March that I was setting up a new website www.homeoffice.gov.uk/terrorism on which information of this kind will also be clearly available.

Student Work Placements

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many university students his Department and associated agencies have supported or sponsored with a work placement in the last year; what his policy is on work placements; what plans he has to develop such schemes; and what his policy is on paying their university fees.

Hilary Benn: The total number of university students supported or sponsored with a work placement by the Home Office over the last 12 months is 81.
	The Research Development and Statistics Directorate placed 26 research trainees for a period of 12 months.
	Two sandwich students were placed in the Commercial and Procurement Unit for six month placements:
	Two sandwich students were placed in the Police Scientific Development Branch at Langhurst for 12 months and one for six months.
	The Police Scientific Development Branch at Sandridge took on 22 sandwich students for a period of 12 months and three students for summer placements.
	In addition, 20 students were offered summer placements under the Summer Development Scheme and five students were sponsored under the Windsor Fellowship scheme.
	All the students were paid for the period of work. Sandwich students were paid at the Administrative Assistant rate, Summer Development Scheme student were paid at the Administrative Officer rate and Windsor Fellowship students are paid Executive Officer salaries as well as a £4,500 sponsorship fee.
	There is no Home Office specific policy on this matter, nor are there any plans to further develop existing schemes, or provide additional payments for university fees.
	The Home Department remains committed to supporting and encouraging work placements and to encouraging under-graduates to consider a career in the Civil Service.

Community Sentences

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to engage magistrates, lay magistrates, youth magistrates and other sentencers in the (a) design, (b) implementation and (c) management of community sentences and other alternatives to prison.

Hilary Benn: The Criminal Justice Bill extends the use of review courts from the drug treatment and testing order to the suspended sentence order, with further powers to introduce these for all community sentences in the future. Such courts provide sentencers with the opportunity directly to monitor an offender's progress. Sentencers will also engage closely in the use of all sentences through their representation on the Sentencing Guidelines Council.
	The need for strong and effective liaison generally between the Probation Service, youth offending teams and the courts is well recognised, and arrangements have been put in place to facilitate and promote joint working practices. Such work is designed to ensure that sentencers have a full understanding of the suitability of various community penalties and their effectiveness, and that the National Probation Service and youth offending teams understand the expectations of sentencers of the services they provide. A permanent channel of communication is established through the appointment of a Sentencing Liaison Officer in each probation area, and continuous dialogue is encouraged on a local level through various mechanisms, including local criminal justice boards, and crime and disorder partnerships.

Asset Sales

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what sales of heritage assets and antiques assets have been made by his Department since 1997; and if he will list such assets; and if he will estimate the total sales proceeds

David Blunkett: My Department has made no sales of heritage or antique assets since 1997

Asylum Seekers

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with European Union colleagues regarding a co-ordinated approach to (a) protecting child asylum seekers from exploitation and (b) identifying and assisting them in finding their families.

Beverley Hughes: The Government has been instrumental in working to agree minimum standards for asylum seekers in Europe as a first step towards a common European asylum system.
	These measures include specific provision for the protection of child asylum seekers, including the allocation of responsibility to protect the interests of those asylum seeker children who arrive unaccompanied, as well as their appropriate accommodation.
	There is also a duty as far as possible to help unaccompanied asylum seeker children find their families.

Asylum Seekers

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department will invite Ms MAA (A1161869) to attend the asylum screening unit in connection with her asylum application.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 6 March 2003
	A screening interview has been arranged for 10 March 2003.

Women's Prisons

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of (a) suicide and (b) other self-harm there were in women's prisons in each of the last 24 months (i) in total and (ii) in each institution; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 6 March 2003
	The information requested is in the following tables. Since 1 January 2001, there have been 20 self-inflicted deaths of female prisoners (all those deaths where it appears the person may have acted specifically to take her own life). The available data on ''self-harm'' incidents includes both attempted suicides and self-harm (without suicidal intent) as it is difficult to measure suicidal intent.
	
		Self-inflicted deaths in female establishments: January 2001 to February 2003.
		
			  2001 2002 2003 
			  April Aug Nov Jan Apr Aug Sep Oct Nov Jan Feb Total 
		
		
			 Brockhill  11  2 
			 Bullwood Hall 1  1 2 
			 Durham  1  1   1 3 
			 Eastwood Park   1  1 1  3 
			 Highpoint (Women)   1 1 
			 Holloway 1 1  2 
			 New Hall2   1 3 
			 Styal 1 1   1 1  4 
			  
			 Total 3 1 1 2 1 3 1 1 1 3 3 20 
		
	
	
		Self-harm in female establishments: January 2001 to December 2002.
		
			  2001 
			  Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 
		
		
			 Askham Grange 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Brockhill 3 6 6 11 6 10 6 23 12 11 20 19 
			 Bullwood Hall 1 1  2 1   4 
			 Cookham Wood   1 3 3  3 4 5 2 1 4 
			 Drake Hall 
			 Downview 
			 Durham 
			 Eastwood Park 7 15 10 36 12 28 25 8 8 7 43 14 
			 Foston Hall 2   1 
			 Highpoint (Women) 12 10 6 18 38 25 23 11 15 20 17 21 
			 Holloway 24 18 10 20 53 36 17 34 52 70 54 155 
			 Low Newton 1  7 11 14 8 9 11 10 11 12 14 
			 New Hall 23 22 27 27 18 41 32 40 25 20 32 21 
			 Send 1 1  4  1 1 4  2 1 2 
			 Styal 1 1 6 2 16 12 40 17 28 13 5 14 
			 Buckley Hall 
			 Winchester 
			  
			 Total 75 74 73 134 162 161 156 156 155 156 185 264 
		
	
	
		
			   
			  Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total 
		
		
			 Askham Grange10 1 
			 Brockhill 15 17 41 46 39 23 18 24 9 18 37 88 420 
			 Bullwood Hall  1  10 11 
			 Cookham Wood 7 14 4 3 18 10 15 1 5 6 12 4 121 
			 Drake Hall  1   1 1 8 3 5 5 2 4 26 
			 Downview18 18 
			 Durham10 10 
			 Eastwood Park 24 17 27 21 29 25 19 44 16 33 70 14 538 
			 Foston Hall 11 13 16 6 12 16 15 6 9 2 2 15 111 
			 Highpoint (Women) 19 7 10 13 18  8 16 18 26 13 14 364 
			 Holloway 111 43 91 45 67 23 47 72 82 70 66 47 1,260 
			 Low Newton 13 11 13 14 34 36 36 33 33 27 31 6 389 
			 New Hall 41 20 20 21 32 19 39 25 26 22 41 42 634 
			 Send 5 2 2 5 2   3 2 1 3 8 42 
			 Styal 9 6 3 2 2 14 37 18 5 5 2 26 258 
			 Buckley Hall   23 31 25 24 35 35 138 
			 Winchester3 3 
			  
			 Total 255 151 227 176 254 168 265 278 235 239 314 334 4,344 
		
	
	The prison population, including the female estate, contains a large number of prisoners with a combination of psychiatric disorders, alcohol and drug dependency, family background and relationship problems, histories of self-harm and previous abuse, all of which raise their risk of suicide and self-harm. Good care and support from staff saves many lives but such instances go largely unreported. The Prison Service's approach, in close partnership with other agencies such as the Youth Justice Board, and outside organisations such as Samaritans, is to better identify and support those who seem at greatest risk, with an approach that focuses on staff/prisoner relationships and the physical environment.
	The Prison Service has a duty of care to all prisoners in its custody, and recognises that self-harm is a particular problem amongst women offenders. The Prison Service is currently developing several interventions that may help female prisoners reduce and manage self-harm in prison. One such example is at Holloway prison, where all prisoners who have been identified as at risk of suicide/self-harm are offered individual crisis counselling. About 40 per cent. of prisoners take up the offer, while others may be referred to alternative sources of help within the prison. Staff report that following counselling women have shown increases in self-esteem, decreases in depression and are less likely to see suicide or self-harm as the solution to their problems.
	The Prison Service's suicide prevention and self-harm reduction programme (which applies to all prisoners, regardless of gender and age) includes a series of projects to improve pre-reception, reception and induction arrangements; the exchange of information; the care of prisoners; detoxification; prisoners supporting each other, and learning from investigations into deaths in custody.

Prisons

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received in connection with London-based Prison Staff's remuneration; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: On 27 February 2003, the Prison Service Pay Review Body, whose remit covers in-charge governors and other operational managers and prison officer and related unified grades, announced its second set of annual recommendations for the remuneration of this group of staff. In making its recommendations, which have been accepted by the Prison Service, it has taken on board the representations on local pay made to it by the Prison Service, the Prison Governors' Association, the Prison Officers' Association and the Public and Commercial Services Union.
	The Pay Review Body accepted the Prison Service's proposals for an increase to the local pay allowance scheme, which is extended to all Prison Service staff in London and the South East. The Pay Review Body has recommended that one of the four levels of the allowance be payable to all staff in these areas from 1 April 2003: £3,800 (relating to central London), £3,000, £2,500 and £1,100. These different levels of payment are made to prisons according to a variety of factors including evidence of recruitment and retention difficulties and the cost of living in the surrounding area. This allowance is paid in addition to the basic pay paid to all Prison Service staff nationally, and the amounts that have been set represent a substantial increase to the rates currently payable under the local pay allowance scheme.

Prisons

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many vacancies there were at each prison or Young Offender's Institution on 31 December 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Shortfalls of staff against forecast needed at each establishment at that date are contained in the following table.
	A national recruitment campaign for prison officers was run during 2002 and resulted in the appointment of 1,562 new officers. In the last two months, a further 310 new officers were appointed and 116 other grades regraded. Provision for 2,200 training places has been made for the coming financial year. A high profile campaign is currently being run in the London area for prison officers and other continuing campaigns include the East Midlands and the female estate.
	
		Vacancies by Prison or Young Offender (YOI) Institution on 31st December 2002
		
			 Area Establishment Officers and Senior Operational Managers Other Staff 
		
		
			 East Midlands (North) Lincoln -10.0 -16.5 
			  North Sea Camp — -3.0 
			  Nottingham — — 
			  Ranby — — 
			  Sudbury — -1.0 
			  Whatton -8.0 -6.0 
			 East Midlands (South) Ashwell -13.0 -14.5 
			  Gartree 
			  Glen Parva -13.5 12.0 
			  Leicester — -3.5 
			  Onley -17.5 -15.5 
			  Stocken — — 
			  Wellingborough -7.0 -13.0 
			 Eastern Bedford -23.5 — 
			  Blundeston -8.0 -4.5 
			  Chelmsford -12.0 — 
			  Grendon -20.0 -10.5 
			  Highpoint South -8.5 — 
			  Hollesley Bay -6.5 -13.0 
			  Littlehey -7.0 -10.0 
			  Norwich -4.0 -10.0 
			  The Mount -7.0 — 
			  Wayland -2.0 — 
			 High Security Prisons Belmarsh -36.5 -33.0 
			  Durham -3.0 — 
			  Frankland -19.0 — 
			  Full Sutton -5.5 — 
			  Long Lartin -14.0 -3.0 
			  Wakefield — -3.0 
			  Whitemoor -59.0 -28.5 
			  Woodhill -50.0 -25.5 
			 Juvenile Establishments Huntercombe – -6.0 
			  Werrington -6.5 -7.5 
			  Wetherby -5.5 — 
			 Kent, Surrey and Sussex Blantyre House -1.0 -1.0 
			  Canterbury — — 
			  Coldingley — -4.5 
			  Dover -5.0 -13.0 
			  Elmley -1.0 -17.0 
			  Ford -3.0 -4.0 
			  Highdown -30.0 -16.5 
			  Lewes -11.5 -8.0 
			  Maidstone -2.5 — 
			  Rochester -3.5 — 
			  Standford Hill -13.0 -9.5 
			  Swaleside -7.0 — 
			 London Brixton -1.0 -26.0 
			  Feltham -70.0 -35.0 
			  Latchmere House -3.0 -4.5 
			  Pentonville -9.0 — 
			  Wandsworth — — 
			  Wormwood Scrubs -25.5 -28.5 
			 North East Acklington -26.5 — 
			  Castington -15.0 -3.5 
			  Deerbolt — — 
			  Holme House -8.5 — 
			  Kirklevington — — 
			 North West Buckley Hall -4.0 — 
			  Garth -3.0 -4.0 
			  Haverigg -5.5 -2.0 
			  Hindley -28.5 -11.0 
			  Kirkham — -3.0 
			  Lancaster -7.5 – 
			  Lancaster Farms -6.5 -19.5 
			  Liverpool -4.5 — 
			  Manchester -3.0 — 
			  Preston — — 
			  Risley -23.5 — 
			  Thorn Cross -7.5 — 
			  Wymott -4.0 — 
			 South West Bristol -33.0 -20.5 
			  Channings Wood -2.0 — 
			  Dartmoor – -1.5 
			  Dorchester -2.0 — 
			  Erlestoke -18.5 -13.0 
			  Exeter -33.5 -20.5 
			  Gloucester -6.0 — 
			  Guys Marsh -5.0 — 
			  Leyhill -3.5 -5.5 
			  Portland -20.5 -7.0 
			  Shepton Mallet -1.0 — 
			  The Verne — — 
			  Weare -2.0 — 
			 Thames Valley and Hampshire Albany -9.0 — 
			  Aylesbury -8.5 — 
			  Bullingdon -9.5 -3.0 
			  Camp Hill -7.5 — 
			  Haslar — — 
			  Kingston -1.0 -1.0 
			  Parkhurst -12.0 -11.0 
			  Reading -3.0 – 
			  Winchester -1.0 — 
			 Wales Cardiff -7.5 -2.5 
			  Swansea -4.0 — 
			  Usk/Prescoed -6.5 -2.0 
			 West Midlands Birmingham -13.0 -7.0 
			  Blakenhurst -1.0 -6.0 
			  Brinsford -5.5 — 
			  Featherstone -1.0 -6.0 
			  Hewell Grange — -6.0 
			  Shrewsbury -1.0 — 
			  Stafford -4.0 — 
			  Stoke Heath -12.0 — 
			  Swinfen Hall -1.5 -5.0 
			 Women's Prisons and YOIs Askham Grange -1.0 — 
			  Brockhill -3.0 -8.0 
			  Bullwood Hall -16.5 — 
			  Cookham Wood -13.5 -2.0 
			  Downview -15.5 — 
			  Drake Hall -7.5 — 
			  East Sutton Park — -1.0 
			  Eastwood Park -13.5 -2.5 
			  Foston Hall -0.5 — 
			  Highpoint North -7.0 -28.5 
			  Holloway -49.0 -14.0 
			  Low Newton -16.0 -11.0 
			  Morton Hall -5.0 -3.5 
			  New Hall -20.0 -10.5 
			  Send -13.0 -9.5 
			  Styal -11.0 -27.0 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside Everthorpe -1.0 -2.0 
			  Hull -9.0 — 
			  Leeds — -7.5 
			  Lindholme -4.5 — 
			  Moorland — — 
			  Northallerton — -1.0 
			  Wealstun -5.0 — 
			  
			 Total  -1147.0 -671.4

Prisons (Muslims)

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with Her Majesty's Prison Service on the educational and religious needs of Muslims in prison; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The Prison Service keeps Ministers informed of its progress on improving religious provision for prisoners of all faiths, including Muslims.
	In discussion with the Advisory Council on Religion in Prisons, the Service has been devleoping a new grading structure for prison ministers which will allow ministers of all faiths to be employed on an equal footing. All Muslim prisoners have regular access to Imams. In prisons with the largest Muslim populations full-time Imams are now being employed. Eight full-time Imams are now in post and a further six are being recruited.
	The Prisoners' Learning and Skills Unit (PLSU) is improving education for prisoners so that prisons are better able to respond to the needs of the individual learner. All prisoners, regardless of their cultural background, are already required to have an individual learning plan based on a comprehensive assessment of need, with basic skills given priority. The PLSU is responding to the diverse needs of the prison population by developing a cultural studies programme for prisoners which will focus on aspects such as cultural beliefs and values and prejudice.

Holloway Prison

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) 15 year olds, (b) 16 year olds and (c) 17 year olds have been held at HMP/YOI Holloway since April 2001; what the length was of each detention; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Holloway Prison

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects children's visits to be reinstated at HMP/YOI Holloway; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Children's visits will be reintroduced at Holloway as soon as there are sufficient staff in post to run them on a permanent and predictable basis. If current recruitment projections are realised, Holloway expects the reintroduction to take place in July of this year.
	Visits will be confined to a Saturday morning, however, they will take place every Saturday rather than on alternate weekends as was previously the case.

Holloway Prison

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Resettlement programme to be reinstated at HMP/YOI Holloway; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The Resettlement programme was introduced to Holloway in October 2002 and, despite significant staff shortfalls, the activity has been sustained in partnership with 11 outside agencies and local voluntary organisations. Initially run for a two-week period followed by a week's assessment and refinement, the programme is now running continuously, although Holloway hopes to make significant improvements to the programme once full staffing has been achieved.

Cruelty to Animals

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action his Department is taking to increase detection and prosecution rates for crimes against animals.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	As part of the review of animal welfare legislation leading to an Animal Welfare Bill we are considering measures to improve existing powers to investigate allegations of cruelty. We are also considering the introduction of more proactive legislation that allows earlier intervention where an animal is being kept in such a way that suffering is inevitable.